My friend, my teammate, my husband?
by DevilTito
Summary: Due to unforseen circumstances Gray and I got married out of the blue. I had always imagined meeting the perfect guy, falling in love and getting married, but maybe I'm doing this backwards? This isn't what I imagined my life to be, but it is what it is. Besides, being married to Gray can't be that bad, right?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is a fic that I started back in high school and I think it is time to le tit see the light of day. This is the first time I have written a first person narrator since I find this writing style the hardest to do well. I have stumbled across so many stories that had an amazing plot, but weren't written that well. What I have tried to do is to be very discriptive of what Lucy sees, thinks and feels, so I hope it will be okay. The first couple of chapters are kind of vague, but please give it a try. Hope you enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.**

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 _My friend, my teammate... My husband?_

"Well here you are, young man. I will be at my office the next few days if you two need anything." The man in the pinstripe suit, the realtor, nods his head and walks briskly out of the door after handing Gray the keys. He seems kind enough, but it is very clear that he isn't one to be messed with. I look over at Gray who is still standing by the door where the realtor left him.

"So what do you think?" He asks me and smiles a little. He looks tired, which doesn't surprise me. It has been a long couple of days. His hair is a mess, his clothes are wrinkled and his eyes bloodshot. I remind myself to let him sleep in tomorrow, he definitely needs it.

"It could have been a lot worse, actually." I tell him and look around the room again. It is pretty decently sized and the furniture is not too bad either, just a little dusty. It came with the house, but I might end up buying all new things.

"Yeah." He replies and stifles a yawn.

"Come on sleepy head. Let's check the rest of the house." I laugh a little as I walk over to him and tug at his arms. He just follows along with an irritated grunt in my direction. Gray and I have landed a pretty nice house, if I say so myself. I would have preferred to stay in my own apartment or in Gray's, but Master advised us to find a new house altogether, so here we are.

We walk into the kitchen from the door in the living room, and I immediately know that I will be spending a lot of time in here. It is one of the cleaner parts of the house, equipped with everything we could possibly need. I like the dark, wooden floor and the shiny marble of the counters, island and tiles. There is a lime backsplash and black cabinets that actually make the floor look lighter.

"Awesome!" I cheer much to Gray's amusement. He chuckles and pats my head, going around the island and over to the window.

"Nice view." He informs me and beckons me over. He is right, it is lovely. There is a clump of what looks like fruit trees not too far from the house, and if you look hard enough, a small stream is glistening in the sunlight. There are more trees further away and flowers pop up in the grass in all colors. I spot a few hills too. It will be perfect for strolls.

"A meadow. We have to check it out soon." I breathe, Gray nods in agreement. I can tell he will spend as much time outside as I will in this kitchen.

"Choosing the outskirts of town was pretty wise." Gray tells me and puts a hand on my shoulder to get me moving again. I'm still gazing outside. I can't believe I've never even heard of this place before.

"I didn't know Magnolia had meadows." I murmur when I turn to follow him, my mind still reeling. I shouldn't be so overwhelmed by the scenery surrounding us, but the beauty of the meadow is breathtaking. I can't wait to explore it.

"I had heard of it. It's my first time seeing it, though." Gray leads us to a second door in the kitchen that I hadn't noticed before. It leads into the hallway connected to the entrance. I'm mapping out the house as we go along. Front door leads to hallway and living room. Kitchen is connected to the two. We find a bathroom next to an empty room that is probably meant to be a study.

"I can just picture myself in here with a desk and a comfy chair, writing away on my novels." I tell Gray with a smile. He looks around the room and is most likely imagining how it will look when we bring in the furniture.

"Why not? We'll probably be here for a while." He tells me playfully and I can't help but feel sorry for him. I don't tell him, though. Gray hates being pitied. We decide to go upstairs and Gray points out a creaky step on the stairs. I like the sound of it.

The upper floor is in good shape. The master bedroom is pretty spacious, but sparsely furnished while the two guestrooms are smaller and completely empty. Across the hall is a bigger bathroom with a bath tub and shower, while the one downstairs only has a shower. We walk into the master bedroom again.

"Cozy." Gray grins at me and plops down on the bed. He lets out a sigh of relief and rolls over patting the space beside him. I smile at him and take a seat. I like the bedframe, but I am definitely getting a new mattress. Once my legs are stretched out and my back is against the headboard, I notice Gray looking at me. I can tell he wants to say something, but doesn't know how to word it. I decide to help him along.

"It feels weird, doesn't it?" I ask him. I can't help but laugh at the absurdity of the whole situation.

"Tell me about it." He laughs too. I'm glad we can still find things to laugh at, otherwise this would have been too hard to deal with.

"I'm sorry." I tell him with all the sincerity I can muster. He looks surprised for a second, before a tired expression crosses his face and he sighs loudly.

"Lucy, we've been over this already." I know we have, but I still feel guilty and I _have_ to tell him how sorry I am.

"I asked you to marry me, because it was the right thing to do. I would never let you fend for yourself and leave you with that creep. I need you to understand that I _chose_ to marry you, I didn't feel obligated to." He never breaks eye contact while speaking.

"I do understand, but how is this fair to you?" I huff and cross my arms. I find a point at the wall I can focus on, otherwise I might start crying. Gray lets out another deep sigh, and I can tell I'm wearing down his patience. So much for having a heart to heart.

"It's not your fault." He tells me and takes one of my hands. I can't remember how many times I've heard it in the past few days. It's starting to get on my nerves a little.

"Yes, but-" I begin, but he cuts me off.

"No buts. It was my decision and it still stands." He tells me with finality in his voice. I glare at him, but he holds my gaze calmly until I give up. I close my eyes and lean back a little. I know I don't stand a chance in a battle of wills. He's just too damn stubborn.

"If anyone is to blame, it's your old man and the creep." Gray adds softly and squeezes my hand.

'The creep' whom Gray so affectionately refers to is one of my many suitors that struck a deal with my father when I was a kid. He's a few years older than I am and the kind of guy I would have been married to, if I still lived my old life. You know, the rich and arrogant kind.

"I know… I just…" I don't finish the sentence. I'm pretty sure Gray knows what I'm trying to say. He has a knack for knowing what I feel. I know for sure when he reaches for me and hugs me tightly. He lies back down with me pressed to his chest. It's very comforting. I could get used to it.

"I get it. I'm sorry you had to go through that." He's stroking my back with one hand. My hands are bunched in his shirt, which is a miracle considering it is still on. He has been incredibly disciplined the past few days, and I actually can't remember the last time he was without a shirt.

"It doesn't surprise me, really. I thought I was done with my dad's crap the last time I confronted him." I swallow thickly. It's getting harder to talk without my voice cracking. I'm close to crying again. Damn it.

"So did I." His hold on me tightens.

"I just don't get it. I clearly cut off ties with him after I joined the guild. Why in the world did he expect me to marry someone he had promised me off to a decade ago? Was I not clear last time? When I told him I wouldn't marry for his political gain. How do I get through to him, Gray?" Somewhere along my ranting, tears started falling from my eyes and down on Gray's shirt. Either he doesn't notice or just doesn't care.

"You don't." He tells me and looks me straight in the eye.

"What?" I blink once.

"You don't get through to him. I don't think it's going to change anything, even if he realizes how despicable it is that he practically gave you away. If he didn't understand it the last time you spoke, don't expect him to now." There is such intensity in Gray's eyes that I actually move back an inch. I think he notices, because his expression softens. His hands stroke my back again.

"Besides, being married to me can't be _that_ bad." His eyes are twinkling as he moves his hands and tickles my sides. I squeal like a little girl until he stops, and we both end up laughing anyway.

"Thank you." I hug him again, thanking him for everything he's done for me. He has practically thrown away his future to help me, and I am eternally grateful to him. He is my saviour. That's when I vow to do my best to make him Gray happy.

"No problem." His arms tighten around me for a second, before he lets go. "So, Mrs. Fullbuster, what are we having for dinner?" I laugh and punch his arm, before we get up and head downstairs. He's right, I think. Being married can't be too bad.

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 **Honestly, I've considered rewriting the entire story to a third person narrator, but I won't grow as a writer unless I get out of my comfort zone. That being said, please do let me know if you have advice or find areas in which I have to improve. Constructive critisism is always welcome (=w=)/**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you for the response on the first chapter! I am motivated to continue writing now. Enjoy!**

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It's been two days since Gray and I moved in. There are still a lot of moving boxes lying around the house, but I am almost done unpacking the bulk, which is a feat considering we had to gather our belongings from two different places. My former landlady was actually sad to see me leave.

'You've gotten good at paying your rent these past few months.' She told me when I handed over the key to my apartment. I think it was her way of telling me she would miss me.

"Did you get all of your stuff?" Gray's voice sounds from upstairs. He was still asleep when I left two hours ago. He likes sleeping in whenever he can, and I also enjoy the quiet of the house when he is asleep.

"Yes." I call out and put down the last two boxes I retrieved. He makes his way down the stairs, yawning all the while. Once at the bottom step, he gives me a wide but sleepy smile.

"Good morning." He greets and picks up my boxes before moving them to the living room. He looks around for a spot to put down the boxes and stacks them on top of the others in the corner.

"It's past noon." I tell him and laugh at his bewildered expression. He curses under his breath and runs a hand through his hair, making it even messier.

"Dammit, now the good requests will be gone." He doesn't sound very regretful, and I know he's joking when he turns around with a playful smile tugging at his lips. I know he has enjoyed having a few days off. I think we both have.

"Did you eat?" I ask him and move towards the kitchen. He follows me like a puppy.

"No, I just got up." He tells me and makes his way to the refrigerator. We haven't had time to go grocery shopping, so whatever is inside the fridge is something we brought over from our apartments. He takes out some orange juice and drinks it straight out of the carton.

"I can see that." He looks down at his sleepwear and sticks out his tongue at me. He doesn't care that I see him in his boxers, and frankly, it doesn't bother me at all. Heavens know I've seen him naked more times than I can count. I like how casual we are around each other. It makes living together very easy.

"I made waffles." The look on his face when I tell him is astounding. Gray looks like his birthday has come early. I have quickly learned that he loves sugary foods at any time of the day.

"You are the best wife ever!" He tells me when I hand him the plate of waffles I left for him. I also place some syrup beside his plate. I'm guessing at least half of the bottle will be empty by the time he is done.

"I know." I laugh as I watch him inhale his breakfast. If he continues at that pace, he'll give Natsu a run for his money, which is a very impressive feat. He is done in less than five minutes and hasn't even made a mess on the table. Maybe I should have made more waffles. He seemed to like them.

"Wanna head to the guild?" He asks me after rinsing off his plate in the sink. I have a feeling I will enjoy living with Gray. He cleans up after himself and he doesn't expect me to do all of the chores.

"Sure." I head back into the living room and pick up my keys. I have already made a habit of placing them on a white tray I keep on top of the cabinet near the door. I used to hang them on a peg by the door in my old apartment, but I like the tray even better. Gray's house keys are also placed in it.

"Let me just put on some clothes." He brushes past me and disappears up the stairs. I open the front door and walk out on our veranda. It's sunny out and I like the warmth. One of our neighbors walks past and waves. I wave back with a smile. We live in a clutter of houses with some elderly people. They are ecstatic that a younger couple has moved in and always make an effort to be friendly. The lady next door is tending to her flowers. They are beautiful and in full bloom. I might ask her a few tips on how to grow them.

"Ready?" Gray has appeared beside me fully dressed. His voice makes our neighbor look up and she greets us both. We walk down the few steps to our house and exchange pleasantries with her before moving on.

Once we are on our way to the guild, I suggest we go shopping later. Gray agrees. He has no intention of taking another job before next week, and he doesn't mind helping around the house. I'm actually very relieved that he hasn't dumped the task of furnishing our house on me.

We arrive at the guild not too long after. Our house, luckily, isn't too far from Fairy Tail, but it can be a little tricky to find. Gray insisted we memorize all the ways that lead to our neighborhood, so we've been taking different routes whenever we go out. I actually like this part of Magnolia; it's so quiet here, contrary to our rowdy guild. I tell Gray this and he snorts.

The second we open the doors, we are practically carried to the middle of the guild, where all our friends are screaming questions. Everyone in the guild agrees that Gray made the right decision. I was worried that they would go bat-shit crazy. I mean, Mira's matchmaking and all the rumors going on about the love triangles and rivalries had me worried, but no one has said one word against us. One of the many reasons I love the guild. Anyways, back to matters at hand. Master shuts them up fairly quickly and then addresses us.

"It seems there has been a leakage about your marriage at the town hall." Master tells us with a sad expression and I feel my eye twitch. There goes my peaceful week. It hasn't even been a minute and I can already feel a headache building up from the pressure behind my eyes.

"That's just great." I'm sure paparazzi will be swarming around us for the next couple of days. It's not every day that two of the most known Fairy Tail mages suddenly decide to get hitched. I can already feel the rumors flying. 'Team romance' and 'Shotgun wedding' is surely to appear in the magazines.

"It might be a good thing, actually." Gray speaks up beside me. He has lowered his voice so only Master and I can hear him. The rest of the guild is busy discussing how to keep us from harm and aren't paying attention to us.

"The faster word gets around that our marriage isn't fake, the faster the creep will stop pursuing you." He nods his head in my direction. By fake Gray means that some people would think we are lying and our marriage is a hoax. Not that it is anybody's business, but we are legally married and I had wanted to keep that information private for a while longer.

"But still-" I try to argue but Master agrees with Gray.

"Publicity will indeed make it easier for people to believe you." He sits cross legged at his usual spot on the bar counter. I glance in Gray's direction. There is no trace of annoyance or frustration on his face. I don't know how he manages to stay so calm all the time, especially considering what we've been through recently, and suddenly I feel like I'm suffocating. I need to get away, so I excuse myself and walk over to where Natsu, Happy and Erza are seated. I know they saw us enter, but they didn't jump into the fray with everyone else since they already know what happened.

"Hey Lucy!" Natsu grins at me and scoots over on the bench, making room for me.

"Hey." I hope I don't sound too sullen.

"Rough day?" Erza guesses and puts her chin in her hand. I definitely sounded too sullen.

"Yeah." I sigh loudly and tell myself to get it together. My friends will cheer me up before I know it. I hope.

"We want to see your new house, Lucy!" Happy flies over and sits down in front of me.

"We'll be done moving in a few days then you can come over." I tell the furry creature. Happy hasn't been as annoying as usual and it is nice to see that even the blue exceed can show consideration. I'll have to treat him to food sometime soon.

"How is living with the snow cone? He giving you trouble?" Natsu looks rather serious as he asks me, and I realize how depressed I must have looked for him to be asking. Natsu has been nothing but supportive, and I really don't want to worry him.

"No, not at all. He is very helpful and considerate." On our first day Gray insisted I take the master bedroom, while he took one of the guest rooms. He also enjoys my cooking and helps clean the house. He's actually a pretty good roommate.

"I just feel bad about everything." I really do. I feel horrible, actually. The thing is, my dad had promised me away to a business partner a few years ago, but they fell out of touch for a while. Then he contacted my father again to arrange my marriage with his son. My dad then contacted me, telling me to come home and marry my betrothed like a good and honorable daughter. If I did, he would look through fingers at me running away and joining a guild. Again.

I still remember receiving dad's letter a little over a week ago. You can bet your ass I was furious. Like last time, he didn't take my feelings into consideration at all. Our relationship is already strained as it is, but to repeat the arranged marriage thing again? He must have dropped his accounting book on his head too many times. Is a betrothal even legal, when one part hasn't given their consent and was underage at the time? Or maybe that is exactly what a betrothal is, where the guardians consent in place of the minors. I'll have to look into it later.

Anyways, so I ignored his letter and went about my day as usual, but of course that didn't last. When I was on my way home from the guild, I felt like I was being watched. There were a lot of people out on the streets, so someone was bound to look at me every now and then. But the prickling feeling on the back of my head wasn't something I wanted to brush off as a coincidence. The second I was home, I locked my door and window, making sure everything was in place.

The next morning I received another letter and a couple of photographs. Of me. They were clearly taken during the past couple of weeks. What shocked me was that there were even photographs taken inside the guild, but they were few. The new letter was a declaration of love, and guess who wrote it? My _betrothed_. Yep, you heard me. My dad had promised me off to a stalker. Joy.

That was when Natsu barged into my room, insisting I go on a mission with the rest of Team Natsu. He saw the photos and freaked out. Not long after, Gray and Erza heard too and they each took turns guarding me. Even Happy stayed in my apartment during the following nights. I could feel my friends growing restless by the day. My stalker kept sending me pictures of me and started including my friends, when they were alone. What really drove me over the edge was a photograph of one of the letters I wrote to my mother. After that I couldn't stay in my room.

I decided to confront my father - again - and have a talk with this creepy intended of mine. I knew he would be at the Heartfilia estate, he had written it in another letter that he would be waiting for me there. With that, I boarded the first train out of town, along with my friends this time. They insisted on accompanying me and I didn't mind the company at all. What happened next only intensifies my headache, so I'd rather not think about it again. Heavens know I've spent so much time analyzing the situation from different angles and thinking of every possible what-if, but nothing can change what has taken place already.

I'm brought out of my thoughts by feeling two sets of eyes on me. I look up to see both Natsu and Erza frowning at me. If someone tells me it wasn't my fault, I swear to God I am going to kill someth-

"You should talk to Levy. She just returned from her mission this morning and she would like to hear the story from you." Erza gently tells me. It takes me a second to actually understand. Of course I should talk to Levy. We think alike, so she'll understand why I feel guilty and she won't pity me. I look around to see if my blue haired friend is nearby and spot her in the far back of the guild.

"You're right." I sigh and make my way towards Levy. I sigh a lot these days. I hope it doesn't become a habit. Natsu waves at me when I leave and Happy flies back to his side.

"Lu-chan!" She's seen me moving closer. We haven't really had a chance to talk this whole week and I need to vent. She jumps out of her seat and hugs me so tightly I think my ribs crack.

"Hi, Levy-chan." I don't think I can sound any more sullen.

"What's wrong? Is it true what everyone is saying?" She asks me. What do I tell her? I was supposed to marry a stalker, but my friend threw away his future to save me. I just shrug my shoulder and sit down in front of her. It doesn't take her long to figure out that it has something to do with Gray.

"Is it because people are finding out about you and Gray?" She has lowered her voice, even though we are the only ones sitting here. Levy likes to read in peace, so she usually sits around here, where few people come by.

"I guess." I'm actually at a loss of words. Where do I even start? I don't know, but I'll never get to it if I stay quiet. "I have to tell you something. A lot actually."

"Do you want to go somewhere quiet?" She asks and turns to see if there are fewer people elsewhere. I shake my head. It's not like I'm revealing a big secret that I don't want others to find out about. I just need to get this off my chest.

"I feel so incredibly guilty about the whole situation." I start off and wait for her response. Was that too objectively formulated? How much does Levy even know about the past few days? Should I explain it from the beginning? I think I'll have to, but I don't know if I will be able to control myself if I repeat everything that has happened.

"Why?" Her question distracts me from my thoughts and I look at Levy. Her brown eyes peer up at me from beneath her bangs. She should cut her hair, it's getting in her eyes constantly. I'm not sure if she's noticed.

"I feel bad for Gray. I've practically ruined his future." Levy prompts me to continue by nodding, "I'm so very grateful for what he's done for me, but I can't help but feel he would be happier if he hadn't. I mean, I know he's my friend and he wants to keep me safe, but what if he regrets? Or worse, what if he becomes bitter like my father? I don't think I'd ever forgive myself if he did." I really hate the feeling of tears on my face, but the feeling of dread in my stomach is worse. I guess Levy-chan must have heard from Erza, since she just hums thoughtfully in response.

"Lu-chan, do you trust Gray?" Levy suddenly asks me. I'm actually taken aback by her question.

"Of course I do." I trust him with my life.

"Then have faith in him. Gray isn't one to make rash decisions. And I don't think he'd ever regret marrying you. He'd never hurt you like that." Levy has grabbed my hand and smiles up at me. All of a sudden, the storm brewing inside me disappears and I can think clearly again. Is it really that simple? Levy leans back and taps a finger on her chin, deep in thought.

"Although you could make it up to him." She tells me with a twinkle in her eyes. That is either a sign of a brilliant idea or a crazy one. I don't know which one I fear more.

"You could be the best wife ever, and make him so happy he'd never even think about having second thoughts." She grins at me and claps her hands together gleefully. Thank god, she didn't suggest anything weird. I love this childish, innocent side of Levy. Make him happy? I had already vowed to make him happy. Then a thought occurs to me and Negative-Lucy takes the stage once more.

"What if his happiness lies with someone else?" I feel a bit embarrassed when I ask. Levy is about to answer when she is interrupted by none other than Gray.

"So this is what you've been worried about all this time?" He is standing behind me and I lean backwards to see him scowling at me. His arms are crossed and I can almost see a vein pop on his temple.

"I…" I have. It has been bugging me for nearly a week now. Gray deserves to be happy, and if that is with someone else, I don't want to stand in the way of it. He sighs deeply and runs a hand through his hair.

"We've already been over this, Lucy. It might have been a spur-of-the-moment kind of decision, but I don't regret it. You're stuck with me." He shoots me a half smile. "Now get moving, we have to go grocery shopping." He tells me and walks towards the entrance. I look over at Levy, who has been silent ever since Gray appeared. She has a huge smile on her face.

"I told you, Gray would never regret it. Think of it like this: where most people marry a lover, you got to marry one of your best friends. We both know he'd give his life for you in a heartbeat, he's just too embarrassed to admit it." Her smile widens when her eyes flicker to where our resident ice mage has walked off to.

"You are right." I look over at Gray again, who impatiently motions for me to hurry up. I can't help but smile. It feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I'll get through this.

"I'll talk to you later Levy-chan." I leave the bluenette with a smile and head towards the doors where Gray is waiting for me.

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 **I apologize for some of the coming chapters being vague, but you'll get the full story soon. See you next time (=w=)/**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you for all the feedback so far! I am hoping to update weekly, but school is starting soon so let's see how well it goes. Enjoy!**

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"Gray have you seen my hairdryer?" I can hear Gray walk around in his room and a couple of doors opening and closing.

"It's not here. Have you checked the bottom drawer?" He calls out. I look through the drawers again and find what I'm searching for. The weather is getting chilly, and I don't want to catch a cold from walking around with my hair still wet.

Gray and I have settled into somewhat of a routine. We still don't feel like taking on any jobs at the moment and money isn't that big a problem. See, my mother had a small fortune set aside for me that I was supposed to inherit when I got married. I guess she was just being cautious and leaving me with some sort of safety net, but at this rate, we won't need to work for a year. Gray also has lots of savings for himself, so we're good.

We bought the house with the money from my mother, but agreed to not live off it forever. I don't want to end like a spoiled princess who hasn't worked a day in her life. We did complete a couple of high-paying jobs a while back, though, so savings are still in place. I guess we just want to adjust to our new life fully, before we start going on missions again. Maybe the two of us will form a new team and call it the Fullbusters! …Or maybe not.

"Did you find it?" Gray knocks on the bathroom door. I turn the blow dryer on in response. I can hear him chuckle before he goes downstairs. Once I am done drying my hair I join him downstairs. Lately I've been feeling like wearing dresses and the weather just barely allows me to. I do need to start wearing my winter clothes soon, since I hate getting goosebumps all over because I'm cold.

Gray is cooking up some eggs for the both of us. We have made it a habit to eat together at every meal. The atmosphere is always nice. We also cook together, so since Gray is making eggs I start toasting some bread to go with them.

"Smells good." I tell him. Gray makes some mean scrambled eggs. He looks up and grins boyishly.

"I added some chives to them." I have learned that my husband is a better cook than I am, and it makes me just a tad bit jealous. The only culinary skill he lacks is baking, which happens to be my forte. I want to make it a habit to bake as much as possible. Who knows, maybe I can make Gray gain weight? Then again, I don't mind him walking around the house shirtless. Can you really blame me? Anywho, I should finish setting the table.

"We are out of milk." The refrigerator shelf is empty when I open it. I was sure we just got some yesterday, but it must have been my imagination.

"We can get some on our way home." Gray replies, his concentration still on the eggs. He is skillfully scooping up the scrambled eggs and distributing them on two plates.

"Would you mind getting it? I promised Levy-chan we'd hang out today." I take a seat and Gray gives me my plate of perfectly cooked eggs. Looking at him, you wouldn't think he had this side of him that enjoyed cooking. I like this side.

"Yeah, no problem. Wanna take a walk in the meadow later?" He asks me excitedly. We still haven't had the chance to explore it, despite the fact that it's practically in our backyard and it looks so inviting! I should bring some food sometime and we can call it a picnic.

"Sure!" I can't wait to take it all in, but first I have to head to the guild and meet up with Levy-chan. She promised to help me look for a new desk for my study. Gray and I have been working on cleaning the room and trying to furnish it. He was a bit shocked when he saw the amount of books I have accumulated the past two years, but hey, can you blame a girl? He usually just shakes his head and calls me a bookworm.

* * *

Even though we've spent most of our days at the guild, we haven't been separated for longer periods of time. We are apart for a couple of hours a day, tops. Even at home, we spend most of our time together. I think it distracts us from thinking about the past few weeks. I'm also glad I get to spend time with Gray, since we get along so well. Again, it makes living together so easy.

After breakfast, we get our clean laundry that needs to be folded and talk about what needs to be done to the guest room in terms of furnishing. Gray wants it to be simple with a nice bed, a nightstand, a dresser and an arm-chair. I want lots of colors in it and a soft rug on the floor.

"Do we really need to paint it? We could find some tapestry instead?" He asks while stacking his now folded shirts on the coffee table.

"I would prefer we painted it. We'd have something to do for a few days." I tell him. I don't want to go on a mission so soon. I still need to sort out myself and all our things. Besides, I've always wanted to decorate and furnish an entire house.

"Alright. Have you decided what to do with your study?" I told Gray I wanted a huge mahogany desk to work at, and he's been helping me look for one every time we've gone out, but so far nothing's turned up.

"Levy-chan found one she thinks I'll like." I tell him. I also have to get a lamp and some other supplies now I'm at it.

"Make sure to sit at it and check its height." Gray advises me. I raise an eyebrow and at first he doesn't catch it, but then he does a double-take and smiles sheepishly.

"So you don't bang your knees on the underside of the table." He explains and I thank him for his not-so-obvious-advice.

"Where are you two meeting up? I can walk you there." Ah, always so noble, Gray.

"Down by the shopping district. We'll make our way from there." It's been a while since I've gone shopping. Well, just a while since I've shopped with someone other than Gray and I'm looking forward to hanging out with Levy.

"Do you want to go to the meadow some other day? I know it's been a while since you and Levy have spent time together." His words tug a little on my heartstrings. Gray Fullbuster, you are too kind to me.

"No, I want to go today." I really do.

"Alright, let's finish the laundry and get going." He has a brilliant smile on his face, and I know that he's really eager to explore the meadow.

* * *

The advantage of having a blue-haired friend is that she is very easy to spot in a crowd. The disadvantage to said friend is the mischievous look on her face when Gray and I arrive together at our destination. She is looking way too smug, and I don't like it. Oh, I hope she hasn't been around Mira-san lately, but it sure looks like the same knowing smile as the barmaid's.

"Hey Lu-chan, Gray." Levy greets us with a wave of her hand as she approaches.

"Hey, Levy. How are you doing?" Gray immediately starts conversing with her and I zone out for a bit. I think my head feels heavy, but I've gotten plenty of sleep and I am also eating properly. I hear Gray say something about heading on and I look up to see him observing me closely.

"Something wrong?" He asks me, before I shake my head no at his question. It's probably nothing to worry about. Scrutinizing me for a few more seconds, he finally nods, satisfied with my answer. Or lack thereof.

"Have fun, ladies." He bids us goodbye and heads in the direction of the guild, leaving me and Levy to our shopping. Now, if she would just stop looking so smug, we could actually get some shopping done.

"What is it?" That might have sounded too grumpy. I hope she didn't pick up on that.

"Nothing, Mrs. Fullbuster. Shall we?" She giggles and starts walking down the street, leaving me standing. I just know that she will call me that for a long time.

Well, Levy and I spend a good deal of time catching up and buying things we need and also things we don't need. Why do I always end up with a surplus of clothes when I go out with Levy? Probably because she always finds clothes that suit my taste perfectly. I swear she has some sort of magic ability for finding the best deals.

"Hey, Lu-chan." I haven't heard Levy sound this serious all day.

"Yes?" She is twirling her hair around her fingers, and she only does that when she is deep in thought. Oh god, what is on her mind?

"You and Gray have been married for a week, right?" That sounds about right. But I'm confused. Why is she bringing that up all of a sudden?

"Yeah, a little over a week." It's been ten days actually. I like remembering dates, anniversaries and birthdays. Does Gray even remember his own birthday? Probably not.

"Well, did you get him a wedding present?" Shit. My hand goes to the silver chain around my neck. Gray's chain that he used to wear every single day. The one he gave me as proof that he had proposed to me.

"…No." Oh god, why haven't I gotten him anything? He has been the perfect husband so far and I haven't even gotten him anything! I am the worst wife ever. Should I cook him something? But he cooks better than me, so I could bake him something instead. I think I know what.

"You should get him something then." Levy suggests. She's right, but what? I have to be back home soon if we want to go to the meadow today. Or should I ask him to go tomorrow instead? But he was really looking forward to going today and I want to go too.

"I don't know what to get him." I think I'm starting to panic a little. I really want to get him a present today, but I have no idea what I can get in less than twenty minutes. Maybe I should go home and brainstorm. I might be able to come up with something today and then get it tomorrow.

"Think about it. I'm sure you can come up with something to surprise him." Levy's always so supportive, I have no idea what I would do without her.

"I will, but I should start heading home soon." Maybe I should buy some more groceries on the way back and make sandwiches we can bring along when we leave.

* * *

"Did you like the desk Levy had picked out?" Gray has popped into my room and is leaning against the doorframe. He's ready to leave already, and of course, I am not. At least he's not telling me to hurry up.

"Yes, I already ordered it. They said it would arrive in the next couple of days." I can't wait for my table to be put into my study. I have a project I've been thinking about writing lately and I can start making drafts once my office is complete.

"Awesome." Gray had already made dinner when I came back, so we ate early and I started putting away the stuff I bought earlier. I've showed Gray some of the clothes and he thought they would look good on me. Now I just need to wear them before the season changes too much.

"Alright, let's go." I grab his hand and pull him out of my room and down the stairs. We leave from the door in the wooden fence in our back yard and we don't have to worry about leaving the place all locked up. Freed has placed runes all over our property, and only people that know of the place and have our permission can enter. That reminds me I have to invite Natsu and Happy over soon.

Anyways, as Gray and I trek our way across the first hill, we see that the meadow is huge. I don't know if it would be better to call it a valley, but holy crap is it huge and beautiful. There is an ocean of flowers that goes all the way across various hills and down into a valley, where a lake is. The lake lies very deep in the valley-meadow and it looks crystal clear and calm. From where we stand I estimate it would take at least an hour to reach it.

"Want to go to the lake?" I ask, already knowing his answer is yes.

"Definitely." Gray looks kind of dumbfounded at the beauty of the place. I mean, who wouldn't? But it's just a rare expression for him to make, and I think I stare at him for a few seconds longer than I should. He looks a lot younger like that.

Anywhere I look I see flowers of all kinds in a million colors - okay maybe not a million, but lots and lots of different colors - and clusters of trees here and there. Some of them have fruit growing on them, others grow flowers and some settle for leaves only.

"It's breathtaking, isn't it?" I don't think I've ever seen something this beautiful and I feel Gray nodding beside me, before we make our way to the lake.

My estimate was close, it took us a little less than an hour to reach the beautiful lake and I think I've seen at least hundred different flowers on the way here. We've been talking a lot, but keep coming back to how amazing the meadow is. I've concluded that it is, in fact, a meadow. There are mountains in the horizons, but they aren't close enough to here and the landscape tends to be more on the flat side, despite the many, but not so steep hills.

I can totally see myself reading by the lake or writing on my stories here. I feel really calm and I think it's because I can finally fully relax in a while. The weariness I've felt for the past week catches up with me again and I have to sit down. I find a spot that looks dry and slump down into the soft grass and I see Gray joining me wordlessly.

"It feels surreal, right?" I ask and look over at him. He is sitting with one knee propped up and one folded under him and has this funny look on his face. His brows are scrunched together in concentration like he is trying to remember something, but his body is relaxed.

"I guess. Who would have thought you'd end up with me and not Natsu?" Gray says playfully and stretches both legs out so he can lean back on his hands.

"What do you mean?" I'm not sure what to think of his remark, so I look at him, prompting him to elaborate. He looks surprised that I'm confused and it pisses me off a little.

"You do know that everyone thought you and Natsu would end up together, right? Heck, I expected him to swoop in and carry you off when we signed the matrimonial papers." He tells me like it's completely obvious. I mean, it kind of is. I have been asked more times than I can count if Natsu and I were dating, but people have asked the same thing about me and Gray, so I just figured it was because I was close friends with them that it could look like that. I didn't to hear it from him, though.

"I don't see how it is anybody's business who I end up with." The words sound colder than I intended, but I can't stop them. I'm tired of people betting on my love-life. It is not the first time someone had said something along the lines of I-expected-you-to-start-dating-Natsu, but hearing it from Gray puts a bad taste in my mouth.

"I'm sorry, Lucy." I feel his hand touch my shoulder cautiously as if I might bite him. Honestly, I might.

"Forget it." I don't even want to think about it anymore. Here I was, racking my brain to come up with a present for Gray and he had to go ahead and tell me everyone including him was gunning for Natsu.

"No, I mean it. I am sorry for bringing it up and you are right, it is no one's business." He has grabbed my hand now and I almost pull it back, but his apology is sincere and I don't want to make a big deal of it. Rumors will follow us forever, so I shouldn't be surprised that people have their own ideas about me. Actually, there's no point in being angry at Gray for something so trivial, and it's not like he said something extremely offensive anyway. I shouldn't act petty.

"Alright, apology accepted." He smiles at me with relief and I find myself smiling back. We sit in silence for a while, and I watch as the sun trek slowly across the sky, making its way behind mountains and disappearing out of sight. We've been out here for quite some time and it's starting to get chilly. I think Gray notices me shivering, because suddenly he is getting up and stretching before offering me a hand.

"Shall we head back home?" He asks and pulls me to my feet. I nod and we start to make our way back to our house. It's funny, even though we've only been living there for a few days, it really is starting to feel like home and I realize it's because Gray is by my side at all times and I always feel protected. At home, I'm at ease, and when I'm at the guild, I am also surrounded by my friends so I don't have to walk around looking over my shoulder all the time.

Suddenly I feel stupid. Why is it that _I_ have to walk around and be nervous or suspicious of people around me, when I am the one who was put in a situation I had no control over? And this isn't even the first time. It had happened numerous times and I'm tired of it. Natsu says I'm cursed, and I used to think that I was just unlucky, but I'm starting to think that he is right. Maybe I should see an exorcist? Anyways, thinking of Natsu made me remember that he's been bugging me about visiting.

"Gray, I want Natsu and Happy to come over soon, but I want it to be when we've finished settling in." I was actually thinking of hosting a house warming party, but I honestly don't feel like it anymore. Maybe I should invite a few of our friends over for dinner instead? But wait, isn't that still considered a house warming? Goddammit.

"Hmm. Sounds good." There is something off about his tone, but just as I'm about to mention it, his hand shoots out and grabs my arm, stopping me from moving. Immediately, I feel panic course through my body and I want to run, but Gray doesn't move muscle. He is standing perfectly still and listening.

"Do you hear that?" He whispers to me, pointing in the direction of the trees. I strain my ears to listen, but I'm too anxious to hear anything but the sound of my own heartbeat. I feel sick and I want to run back home, but I don't know what kind of danger Gray is sensing that I am not. I reach for my keys, but find them missing and remember that I left them on the cabinet in the living room. I almost smack myself for being so stupid. What are we going to do now?

* * *

 **Have you checked out my other GrayLu story Weeping Waters? Have a nice weekend (=w=)/**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I am actually not entirely satisfied witht his chapter, but it is what it is. Also, think of the wards and runes around their house as kind of like the Fidelius charm from HP. Enjoy!**

* * *

Gray has let go of my arm and is creeping closer to the trees, searching for something. He suddenly squats down and examines something in the tall grass. I don't know what he is doing, but my feet automatically drag themselves closer to where he is crouching down. I can hear him mumble and the closer I get, the more it sounds like he is… talking to someone? He hears me approach and looks up excitedly.

"Lucy, look!" He points toward a set of glowing blue eyes concealed in the grass. Gray's hand is extended and he is speaking softly as a tiny paw becomes visible, followed by another and then a head. It's a wolf pup. There is a lump in my throat as I see Gray slowly reach out to stroke the fur of the pup.

"Gray, be careful." I warn. He has always been good with animals, but this is a wolf. I don't want him to be bitten and catch some kind of incurable disease. Before he can touch the pup, it gets up from its crouching position and lets out a short bark, which is in no way threatening, and stalks away into the cover of trees.

"Shoot, I've always wanted to raise a wolf." Gray complains after we watch the pup disappear from sight. He almost turns around to face me, but I see something move out of the corner of my eye and stop him.

"Maybe you should go for something safer." I lower my voice and point to the closest cluster of trees where several pairs of eyes are glowing in the shadows. Once he spots the rest of the pack, Gray grows quiet so we don't aggravate them.

"Let's go." I whisper and reach for his arm. We might both be skilled mages, but I don't have my keys on me and there's not much I can do against a pack of wild wolves without my whip. I know Gray will try to protect me, but if we leave now we might get away without any trouble and I would rather we avoid any type of confrontation with them.

Gray hesitates for a moment and I think he is counting how many wolves there are, but finally he nods and we slowly retreat. I can't bring myself to turn my back to the trees before we are a good distance away, but it's like I've become hyperaware of my surroundings. Every rustle of the grass or sound from a nearby animal has me on edge and I can feel sweat drip down my back the entire way. My hand is still gripping Gray's arm and he hasn't asked me to let go, so I don't, but I try not to dig my nails into his skin.

When we've been walking for five more minutes I can't take the silence any longer. I need to focus on something else. We are far, far away from the cluster of trees that housed the wolf pack and I know they didn't follow us, but I can't relax. I just want to be at home where I know we have runes and wards protecting us. I feel so vulnerable out here and I am still clinging to Gray. I hope he doesn't think I'm overreacting.

"Why did you want to raise a wolf?" I ask, hoping his answer will distract me until we get closer to the house. He looks thoughtful for a moment and then his expression turns playful.

"I've always been a dog-person, but wolves are cooler so I wanted one." He grins and I can't help but laugh. Leave it to Gray to want a wolf because it looks cool. He looks smug when I laugh and a part of me thinks he is saying it to make me feel better.

"Would you only domesticate it or train it to go on missions with you?" I ask instead. I actually really like the idea of Gray with a wolf. If he was to wear a cape with a fur trim, he and his imaginary wolf would look like something from a novel.

"It would be my companion like Happy is to Natsu. I want it to follow me everywhere and wait for me, but it is also going to kick ass on missions." Gray laughs this time and I can just picture his wolf lying at his feet in the guild, napping through the usual chaos.

Maybe I should write the novel? That would actually make a pretty good gift for Gray. Ah, but it'll take a long time to write an entire novel, so maybe a short story? We'll see. Gray snickers beside me and I look over to see his eyes twinkling with mischief.

"But if it had a ferocious personality, I would name it something ridiculous like Angel." He says gleefully. I shake my head at his comment, but I kind of like the irony of it. Okay, it's pretty amusing.

"What's wrong with naming it Fang?" I can't help but ask. Gray looks at me like I just asked something stupid and I probably have, but I like the name and I know it'll get a rise out of him. Does it make me a bad person that I enjoy annoying him?

"Either it has to be witty or sound cool, and Fang is just too basic." He explains to me as we reach the top of the hill leading down to our backyard. Just seeing our fence makes me relax and I finally let go of Gray's arm and focus back on our conversation.

"But Fang does sound cool." I argue. I think it's a great name for a pet, even if it sounds kind of violent. If I were to choose, I would probably get a puppy or a rabbit for myself, but I don't know if I could handle having a pet right now.

"Lucy, it's so overdone. It's like having a dog named Fluffy or a cat called Mittens." Gray dismisses my idea with a wave of his hand. That's it, I'm getting us a puppy and I'm naming him Fang just to be spiteful. I think Gray sees some of my irritation, because he looks worried for a second, but then we reach our fence and he busies himself by opening the door to our backyard.

"Thanks." I tell him as he holds the door for me. It's getting pretty dark now and I'm glad we decided to head back. Now that I've seen the meadow, I want to do revamp our backyard with some nice furniture and grow a ton of flowers. I might even be able to grow my own vegetables.

"Hey, do we have ice cream?" Gray has unlocked the door and is waiting for me to come inside when he asks. He closes the door behind me before he makes a beeline for the kitchen and I follow him.

"I think so. Why?" I'm pretty sure we got ice cream the other day when we went grocery shopping. Now I want to eat some, so I really hope we bought it. Gray emerges from the kitchen before I even set a foot inside and holds out a pint of ice cream for each of us.

"Wanna watch a movie?" He asks, grinning. We got our TV running just yesterday and Gray has a pretty decent collection of movies that he brought with him from his apartment.

"Sure." It's been a long day and I would like to unwind a little, so a movie sounds perfect. Looking at the two flavors of ice cream in Gray's hands, I can't decide which one to choose; cookie dough that is my go to for every occasion that requires ice cream, or triple chocolate ice cream that is a decadent dream in itself.

"I want the triple chocolate." Gray quickly claims and hands me the cookie dough, already deciding for me. Not that I mind. Cookie dough ice cream has been my favorite for years now, and since I haven't ever gotten sick of it, it is always a winner.

"Alright, what are we going to watch?" I reach for my ice cream and head towards the sofa. I love action, comedy, mysteries and rom-coms, but I can't decide what I'm in the mood for. I hope Gray has a suggestion and we don't spend half an hour debating what to watch, and then end up re-watching something we have seen numerous times. As I take a seat, Gray picks through the collection of movies before holding one up in front of me.

"What about this one?" He suggests. I grab it and read the back cover, before nodding. It's a rom-com that I haven't seen before and it sounds promising enough. Gray joins me on the couch after setting up the movie and I take my first bite of ice cream. It requires tremendous self-control to not devour it right away, but I do my best to savor it and enjoy every bite.

The movie is actually pretty good and I enjoy myself as we watch it. It has me cracking up and almost crying a couple of times, but there is one thing in particular that really piques my interest. At some point the main protagonists that have been pining after each other go on a weekend trip where they eventually get together. The movie has been leading up to it from the beginning, but what fascinates me is how their dynamic changes in a new setting, where they don't know anyone. I have wanted to incorporate more romance into my works, but I am not that experienced so it is hard to make it realistic.

I should probably watch more movies for reference, and that way I can avoid having to ask my friends about their experiences, thus avoiding awkward situations. I watch the rest of the movie and notice a couple of other things that appeal to me and when it is over, I feel inspired to write. My ice cream is long gone and I should probably head to bed instead of starting a story. I am starting to feel sleepy and I'd rather not stay up half the night to write something I end up trashing, because it was written during a sleepy haze. Beside me, Gray is fiddling with his spoon and empty tub of ice cream, which is kind of odd.

"Hey, Lucy." He turns to me while the credits roll and I can see he is about to suggest something he thinks I won't agree to. He wore the same expression when he suggested we get married, but I can't figure out what he is thinking right now.

"What is it?" I am kind of, maybe dreading his question, but knowing Gray, it isn't anything bad. I don't think he is about to ask for a divorce. Is he? He is being awfully fidgety, but I thought we were on good terms? Could he have changed his mind after all?

"Let's go on a trip, just the two of us." He looks up at me with a nervous smile and I relax when he meets my eyes. We are not getting a divorce, but I need to chill for Christ's sake. Wait, did he just suggest we go on a trip? Like a vacation? But we haven't even finished moving in, why does he want to- oh. The movie.

"A trip? Like a honeymoon?" The words are out before I can stop them and I want to slap myself for saying something so awkward. I didn't even mean to say it; I just thought that since we are newly married it would technically count as a honeymoon. I really need to chill.

"Why not? We did just recently get married." Gray laughs and his eyes shine with mirth, when verbalizes what I just thought. Thank god he didn't think it was awkward!

"Alright." I would actually love to get out of town for a few days and I am pretty sure Gray also feels that way, hence his suggestion. When I ask him about it, he just scratches his head and smiles sheepishly.

"I just thought it would be good for us to get a change of pace with everything going on. We could go to the mountains or somewhere with a lot of history, I know you like to geek out about those places." He pokes my side and I try not to punch him in return. It is so sweet of him to suggest going somewhere I enjoy, and once again I feel so blessed to have this wonderful man be one of my best friends. I won't tell him though, since it might get to his head.

"Please, we both know you are going to explore a city and will get lost." I know for a fact that Gray loves exploring and often gets caught up in his excitement and loses his way. It has happened on jobs before, but he'll probably be fine if I go with him.

"My sense of direction is splendid, thank you very much." Gray crosses his arms over his chest and looks away dramatically. I shove him – lightly of course – and he snickers, before he rests his head on the back of the couch. He looks thoughtful, so I start thinking about where I want to go.

"How about going to the beach?" I love going to the sea and it has been a hot minute since I last went anywhere. We could also go to the spa town Hosenka to spend our days at a resort surrounded by mountains, but I am leaning more towards the beach. Gray considers my suggestion for a few seconds and nods.

"Beach sounds good. When do you want to go?" He asks and I frown.

Honestly, I want to go right now, but I also want to finish furnishing so I can have Natsu and the others over. Should we just go before inviting our friends to dinner or is that too late now? We are almost done moving in anyways, so maybe we should get the dinner over with and leave with nothing to worry about?

"How about we invite the other's over the day after tomorrow, then we can leave after that?" I suggest and Gray agrees. We spend the next hour planning our house warming dinner and then move on to our upcoming trip. I don't know why I hadn't thought of going on vacation, but I am so glad Gray asked. Now I am really looking forward to getting away for a while.

* * *

 **I hope the pacing is realistic. Have a nice weekend! (=w=)/**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: It's been like two months since I last updated, sorry about that. School has been tough lately so I barely have any time to write. I should be back to regular updates before the new year. Thank you for all the love on the story so far, I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

"Lucy, look. Another lake!" Gray is pointing outside the window for the second time within twenty minutes. He is practically pressed against the glass of our train window as we pass the lake he has spotted. His excitement is contagious and I have to stop myself from laughing at him. He reminds me of a kid going on a trip.

"It's pretty." I tell him and look down to the notebook on my lap. It has some new ideas for my current novel that I want to play around with. I know I should be working on it, but I keep getting distracted by my newest idea.

I've already started writing the story about Gray and his wolf, and I just want to sit down and write it all out, but it is hard to get any writing done when he is by my side at all times and can potentially discover what I am doing. Also, Gray snoops a lot. Just to be on the safe side, I left the notebook that has the plot idea and outline at home and only brought the ones I was already writing other stories in. But the idea is so stuck in my head that I am considering putting the others on hold and finishing it up. I look out of the window to distract myself and see us passing yet another lake.

"I didn't even know there were so many lakes in this area." Gray whistles, voicing my thoughts, and finally settles down on the opposite seat. He asked to borrow some of my books so he could get some reading done during our vacation, but he has barely made a dent in the first one and it is just lying on the seat beside him. I remind Gray that he was reading, and he looks at me apologetically before picking up the book again. This time he actually reads for a while and I continue look out of the window.

Let me fill you in on the past few days. As you know, Gray and I wanted to host a dinner for our friends in place of a housewarming party, and then we were going on a trip the day after. So we went to the guild a few days ago to invite Natsu, Happy, Erza and Wendy. As it turns out, Erza was leaving for a mission the following morning and would be away for two days, so getting everyone gathered at the same time was going to be difficult. Gray suggested that we postpone our trip a little to get the dinner over with, but when Erza heard we were planning on going out of town, she demanded that we leave right away and host our dinner at a later date.

I will always love Erza for being so considerate of us. While I would have loved to spend time with my friends, I have noticed that I am having trouble sleeping and I constantly feel exhausted. I know Gray also lies awake at night, because sometimes I'll hear him walk around his room or tiptoe downstairs for a couple of hours at a time, but that's not the point. We are both pretty exhausted and it feels amazing to be on our way to our vacation.

We decided to go to Akane beach and chose a different hotel this time. We're still going to a resort where we can get pampered for the duration of our trip. I have all sorts of things planned to maximize our self-care and my goal is to get Gray to put on a face mask at least once. His skin could use a helping hand. Maybe I'll even be able to get him to follow an easy skincare routine? I'll try. We've also decided that we'll explore as much of the city as we can. If I'm lucky, I might be able to get myself a new key. Or new clothes. Both things work.

* * *

We've finally arrived at the resort and I must say I am already impressed. The location is beautiful and our room is perfect except for one tiny detail. There's only one bed.

"I'm so stupid, why didn't I think about it! Of course there's only one bed." Gray groans into his hands. He was the one who booked the trip and feels responsible for it. He got a pretty sweet deal for the honeymoon package we wanted, and it cost us a lot less than anticipated so I think I'll survive having to share the bed. It wouldn't be the first time we share a bed anyway, so it's no big deal.

"I don't mind." I tell him and reach for my suitcase so I can grab my swimsuit. The resort's pool is visible from our terrace and I can't wait to take a dip. I have a couple of swimsuits that I haven't worn yet and they're fairly new, so I want to use them right away, but I am interrupted.

"Hang on, Lucy. I'll go to the front desk and ask them to move us to a different room with separate beds." Gray stops me from opening my suitcase with a hand on my shoulder. I turn around to look at him and he scratches his neck, something he does when he feels embarrassed. Why someone who subconsciously strips naked would feel embarrassed over this is a mystery to me. Maybe Gray is a maiden at heart? Anywho, I just want to take go to the pool so I try to reason with him.

"I think it would be better if we didn't make a big deal of it. And honestly, I don't mind sharing the bed as long as you don't hog the covers." My poor husband looks confused and slightly insulted that I would suggest he hogs the covers. I know he does. I've woken him up a couple of times this week and let me tell you, he cocoons himself in his blankets. I had to pry the covers off him this morning to wake him up so we left according to our plan and didn't miss the train.

"We are on our honeymoon, Gray. Think about the rumors that would circulate if word got out that the newly married Fullbusters asked for separate beds." His expression changes into a thoughtful one as he realizes. "I don't want the press to swarm us every minute and I _know_ half the guild will show up if they hear about it. Let's just enjoy our vacation." I pat his arm and he grabs my hand, squeezing it slightly.

"Are you sure?" He asks me. Of course I'm sure. Again, we've shared a bed before, so I honestly don't mind. He still doesn't look convinced, and I think he's about to insist on getting relocated when I interrupt him.

"Do you want to grab something to eat before we go to the pool?" I change the direction of the conversation and he lets go of my hand. I hate to see him look so conflicted. I don't want Gray to worry about anything on our vacation and really it's no big deal. There's plenty of space for the both of us.

"Food sounds good." He nods and we get ready to head out.

* * *

Since it's nearing evening and the sun will set soon, we have decided to skip the pool and explore the city after we've had dinner at the resort. There are a few shops I want to visit and I also want to see if I can find something to give Gray as a wedding present. The novel will take way too long to complete, so I'll see if he finds anything he likes and gift it to him. He's been really good at keeping his clothes on, but I don't think I'll risk buying him a new shirt just yet. Also, summer is coming to an end soon, so maybe I should look for sweaters for him instead.

"Lucy?" Gray's voice cuts through my thoughts and I remember that we are about to order our food. He is frowning at me and I know I've zoned out for too long.

"Hmm?" I hope he thinks I was just thinking really hard about what to order. I mean, the menu is pretty long and I don't know half the dishes on the laminated card in my hands. Some of them sound heavenly and I can't for the life of me decide what I want. He looks at me curiously.

"Something the matter?" He asks me. I shake my head and tell him that the menu is too damn long and I want almost everything on it.

"Tell you what, choose a few dishes that you want to try and we'll share them. If you like the food we can come back again." Gray's suggestion almost makes me swoon. We've known each other for many years now and I expect him to know that I like to sample as much food as I possibly can, so his words are indeed music to my ears.

"Are you sure you want to spend our entire food budget here?" I try to sound as serious I can, but once Gray starts laughing I can't help it but laugh too.

"Don't worry about it," he grins, "my treat."

"What? No! We already set aside a separate budget for food." I argue. We decided on a shared food budget for the entire week before we even left our house, why does he want to pay now?

"Come on Lucy, just this once." There is something fleeting in Gray's gaze that makes me hesitate. He almost looks sorrowful and the smile on his face doesn't quite reach his eyes anymore. I don't know what he's thinking at all, but seeing him like that pains me. I don't want him to look so sad when we are here to unwind and have fun.

"Gray?" I take his hand on the table and he swipes his thumb across my knuckles in response. He looks up at me and his expression has softened. There's still a hint of that mysterious element in his eyes and it confuses me. Then he shakes his head slightly and his face brightens.

"I just want to treat my wife to a nice dinner." He says teasingly and squeezes my hand. Normally, I would have laughed at his joke and told him that he wouldn't be able to afford taking me out to dinner. But right now, I can't find it in me to laugh. I know there is some truth to his joking. There's no way he doesn't want to experience how it feels to buy dinner for his girlfriend or wife. Now that he's legally bound to me, he can't have the real deal. I can at least give him that. I have to.

"Alright." I hope my voice didn't sound too shaky. We were doing so good, why did he have to say that? That horrible wave of guilt hits me again and I want to scream.

I know I have to calm down. My getting upset over what has already taken place is not going to solve anything, it's only going to ruin our vacation. I should have known it was going to hurt to pretend everything was fine. The only thing I can do now is pull myself together and enjoy our vacation. We aren't here on our honeymoon. We are here to escape the reality that is our lives after the wedding.

Seeing Gray sit in front of me with a menu in hand, trying to choose something for us makes me wish that it was real – that we really were on our honeymoon and he was treating me to dinner. At the very last, I want it to be real for him.

"How does the roast sound? We can also get the-…" He is listing off things and I nod. Honestly, I couldn't care less what we eat, but I have to get it together. I promised myself that I would make Gray's life as easy as possible and choosing dinner is nothing compared to what else we've been through. I can do this. I breathe as deep as I can without him noticing and look down on the menu once more.

"What about some of the seafood sides? This one looks good!" I point to one dish that caught my eye earlier. Crab cakes with an assortment of dipping sauces that actually is starting to make my mouth water. I take it back, I do care about what we are going to eat.

"Ohh, let's get that one too." He looks at the side I want and nods quickly. We choose a few more dishes and our mains before waving over a waiter that also takes our wine orders. We settled on a red wine and I'm excited to try it. I can feel my stomach rumbling, so I really hope we will be served soon.

Gray has turned back to how he normally is, but I keep my eye on him just in case. He is telling me about a ghost sighting in one of the city castles and he sounds fine. I'm also feeling a little calmer. Maybe I was overthinking because of fatigue. Anyways, our starters arrive and I forget about everything else the second there is a plate in front of me.

* * *

Dinner went great. I loved almost everything I tried and the wine was good as well. Gray also enjoyed the food and we are back to easy conversation between us. We skipped dessert at the resort so we could grab something in the city while we are walking around. The sun has set and it is getting a little chilly, so I'm glad we decided against going to the pool at this late hour. We would probably both have caught colds.

"We should go to a casino tomorrow." Gray says while we are walking down the street.

"Why?" I ask. I know that Gray has gambled before, but I thought he only wanted to try it out. I don't really mind gambling, but I'd rather spend my money on something useful. Like dessert.

"Come on, it'll be fun," he grins, "maybe we'll hit the jackpot and rack up a fortune. Then we could go on trips like this every month." I honestly think vacations would lose their appeal if we went on them so often, but I decide to humor him. I hope he has a lucky streak in him.

"Sure." I say and look around the street we are on. Night life is bustling and most stores are still open. I'm not surprised by the amount of people that are out and about. This city really is a hot spot for tourism and I can easily spot patrons inside every café. I hope we'll find someplace good to have dessert. I could go for something hot to drink as well.

"Lucy, look. They have those little cakes you like." Gray tugs at my arm and turns me to face the direction where he spotted something. It's a little coffee shop at the corner and right away I spot the cakes he is talking about. Platters of miniature sized cakes that are beautifully decorated and look absolutely enticing.

"Gray can we-" I haven't even finished my question when Gray grabs my shoulders and pushes me toward the coffee shop. "Yeah, let's go."

As we enter the employee behind the counter greets us, "Good evening." We also greet her and I look around. It's nearly empty save for a handful of costumers at this late hour, but I expected it to be bustling since it is such a cute café.

The inside of the shop is very cozy and the scent of coffee beans lingers in the air. I also get the occasional whiff of something sweet, vanilla most likely. The lighting is dim and I see big, plush chairs on one side and regular tables with wooden chairs on the other side. Gray has cut straight to the cake display next to the counter and is carefully selecting cakes for himself. I go up to join him and see rows and rows of both miniature and regular sized cakes.

"Do you know what you want?" I ask Gray when I notice him narrow his eyes at one particular platter on display. I have quickly learned never to get in the way of Gray and his sweets. The guy can get _intense_.

"Pretty much. What about you?" He looks up at me and nods toward the display. I don't know. I'm feeling something chocolatey, but I don't want anything too decadent. We went pretty heavy on dinner, so I should probably stick to something light or refreshing.

"I'm not sure yet." I look over the display one more time and take my time looking over a couple of bite sized cakes. I can hear Gray order his desserts and a cup of tea beside me and the girl behind the counter happily starts putting his order together.

I shouldn't order more than three of the cakes. I know they're cute and tiny, but they will probably take me by surprise and be too heavy for my liking. I don't want to make myself sick from overeating, but if I don't watch out that is exactly what is going to happen. Three cakes Lucy, that's it. But they look so cute and tasty I kind of want to order more than five. No, I can only choose three. That's what I decided on.

After I've ordered we find a table near the window and wait for our cakes and drinks. Gray looks excited and is chattering away. We look out of the window and watch people while we wait, but only a couple of minutes later our orders arrive and we dig in.

I chose a chocolate glazed sponge cake, a red velvet cupcake and a layered cake with a base of nuts and topped with whipped cream as well as fresh berries. All of them are delicious and I kind of want to order some more to bring back to our room. Like a midnight snack. These cakes are too good, I might get addicted.

I look over at Gray's plate and I see him sampling the five cakes he ordered. He also stuck with the tiny ones, though I expected him to order an entire regular sized cake for himself. He looks absolutely delighted with his dessert and it makes me feel warm inside to watch him enjoy the cakes.

"This is so good." He mumbles in between bites and I nod.

It takes us four minutes to clear our plates. We even held back so we didn't look like savages to the staff, but I'm sure we could have finished it in two minutes flat. We've both ordered tea and now we're working on emptying our cups. It's been a long day and I wouldn't mind heading to bed soon.

"Alright let's get going." Gray calls out to me after paying for the both of us – from our shared budget.

"Should we head back to the hotel? I'm starting to feel sleepy." I tell Gray. It's probably all the food I've stuffed myself with and all the travelling we did today that's making me feel drowsy. I can't wait to sleep!

"Yeah, it's getting late. We can go back out tomorrow." He suggests and we start making our way back to the hotel. My feet are starting to ache and my shoulders are also feeling stiff now. Who knew walking around could be so tiring?

It takes us almost twenty minutes to reach our hotel and an additional five to get to our room, but by the time we enter we are beat. We didn't even walk that far, why are we so tired? Whatever. I just want to sleep. I look at the bed and decide where I want to sleep, before grabbing my sleepwear from my suitcase. I'll take a quick shower before I'm going to sleep. We didn't really do anything today, but I feel sort of dusty.

"I want this side Gray." I toss my clothes on the left side of the bed and Gray hums in response as he digs around his bag for clothes. Since we are going swimming tomorrow, I can't be bothered to wash my hair now, so I toss it up into a bun and head for the shower once I've grabbed my clothes.

Ten minutes later I'm done and step back into our room. The shower was just what I needed and the warm water felt great. Seriously, I think I'm turning into a grandma with all the muscle pain I'm having lately. I look at Gray and notice that he is lying in bed and has turned off the light on his nightstand. It's been ten minutes since I left the room and he is already asleep. I don't blame him.

I toss my clothes on top of my suitcase and make my way to the bed. I'm so tired. Gray is lying on his side so his back is turned to me and I try not to move too much. I can see his chest rise and fall slowly and the sight is strangely mesmerizing. My eyelids are getting heavier so I turn off the lamp and burrow down into the covers. Even in the dark I can hear his slow breathing and I feel myself dozing off after a few minutes.

* * *

The next morning I wake up way earlier than I want for one reason. It is too freaking hot. I know it's too early to be up, but this is uncomfortable and my body feels extremely heavy. I know my feet are out of the covers, so I try to move them around on the bed sheet to find a cold spot, but it doesn't help.

It takes me a while to open my eyes, but when I do I find out why I am too hot. Gray, who fell asleep with his back to me has turned in his sleep and is facing my way. Not only is he facing me, he is extremely close to me and his arms have somehow sneaked around me. Gray is hugging me in his sleep and I can't move.

* * *

 **Of course they'll wake up cuddling if they share the bed. Who saw it coming lol? More drama in the next chapter and maybe even some angst. Until then (=w=)/**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thank you the feedback on the previous update! It makes me happy that you are enjoying the story.**

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Gray is _heavy_. How am I going to sleep if he keeps being deadweight on my side? Ugh. I really can't move anything other than my right leg. Why you ask? Because Gray has tangled our legs in his sleep. Somehow, he has managed to throw his arm across my torso, his leg on top of mine and his head is on my shoulder. He has even trapped my left arm under himself. How did this even happen? I usually wake up right away if I hear a noise or something; I must really have been tired if I didn't feel it. I want to go back to sleep, but I don't think I can if I don't get out of his embrace. Damn you, Gray. Why can't you just sleep like a normal person and not hold everything in a vice grip? I think of how he usually wraps himself in his blankets, but I don't find it amusing now that I am the one being constricted.

Okay, I have two choices. I can wake him up and ask him to let go, or I can quietly free myself from his grip and turn around. The first choice is out of the question, so I go with the second option. I wiggle my arm out from underneath him and manage to get it out, but he makes a grumbling sound when I move. He suddenly moves and somehow digs his other arm into my back and stretches it out under me. That's got to be uncomfortable. Just as I think this he pushes his arm up so it lies under my neck instead. Great, now both his arms are around me. After a few seconds his breathing is back to normal and I continue my struggle.

I try pulling back my leg and I almost get it free, but of course Gray decides to snuggle even closer. I am wide awake now and it is just past dawn. If I could just get his arm out from under me and move the one he has draped over me, I could turn to the other side and pretend like it never happened. I think Gray would die from embarrassment if he found out, and I would like to spare him an early death. My body is still tired and I just want to close my eyes for a couple of hours.

I push his shoulder as gentle as possible, but I swear I see his eyebrows twitch, so I stop and hold my breath. Please don't wake up. I don't want things to become awkward between us, so I have to get free and go back to sleep right away. He exhales a long sigh, but other than that he shows no signs of waking up, so I relax again. I look at Gray in the semi-darkness, and honestly I'm surprised that I can make out his features. He finally looks relaxed and at peace. His expression is serene and I can't bear to wake him up and disrupt his peace. I know he hasn't been sleeping well the past two weeks, and he finally has the chance to completely relax. I try one more time to get free, but his arm is trapped under me and I can't move it without waking him, so I give up.

Honestly, I don't mind his embrace. I just don't want him to spend the day avoiding me and apologizing for invading my privacy. While I don't usually cuddle with him, I have to admit it feels nice to be held close and so tenderly. The heat he gives up, which woke me up in the first place, isn't unbearable and actually feels comfortable. Does he subconsciously adjust his body temperature if it gets too high?

I'm sure I could fall back asleep again if I tried, but then I risk waking before him again and continue being stuck. I don't think I can wait for him to wake up if that happens again. There's also a pretty good chance he'll roll over in his sleep and I'll be able to get free. Maybe it isn't worth trying to get free now. Besides, I'm still tired. I decide to go back to sleep for now and deal with Gray later.

* * *

The next time I wake up the sun is shining brightly through our thin curtains and I'm alone in bed. I look to Gray's side and see that his covers have been pulled back, so he must be up. Then I hear the sound of running water, meaning he's already showering and most definitely awake. I stretch my arms and legs as far as I can, and I'm rewarded by a popping sound in my back. My eyelids are still heavy, but just as I close them and try to sleep a few more minutes I hear Gray's voice from the other side of the bed and I force my eyes open again.

"Good morning." He has emerged from the bathroom and has a towel thrown over his shoulders that he is using to pat his hair dry. I'm not ready to use my vocal cords to form proper sentences yet, so a grumbling sound comes from my throat instead.

"Slept okay?" He asks and plops down on the bed beside me with enough force that the mattress bounces and jostles me. Leave me alone Gray, you're the reason I didn't sleep enough. Well, I slept fine after I stopped fighting his cuddling, but I didn't notice when he let go. I'm still pretty tired, but he is looking at me expectantly.

"Yeah, what about you?" I yawn right after asking him. He must think I'm so charming.

"I slept okay." He shrugs and leans back against the headboard. I can't help but suspect that he is aware of what transpired during the night. He isn't looking at me, but is inspecting the foot of the bed, so I'm assuming he knows and is probing me to figure out if I noticed or not. In that case, I'm feigning innocence.

"I slept like the dead and now you are talking to my corpse. Let me rest in peace." For dramatic effect, I sigh loudly and pull the blanket over my face. Gray snickers and tugs it back down right away. I crack open one eye and see him grinning at me – crisis averted. Now I can go back to my peaceful slumber. I pull up the blanket and adjust it around my feet.

"Will breakfast get you up and dressed?" He asks before leaning over and pulling the fabric from my hands. I can't hold on to the blanket so I let go and turn to the other side and hope he will leave me alone for a few more minutes. But I know Gray and I know that's not happening. The blanket is completely gone from my body and I'm relieved to find out that it isn't that cold in the room. I'm still not getting up.

"Come on Lucy, let's go downstairs." He starts coaxing me with the promise of pancakes with syrup, but I know that's what he wants for breakfast. I'm a few seconds too late in responding, because suddenly he grabs my wrist and pulls me back to face him. Then he grabs my other wrist and starts dragging me - gently – to the edge of the bed.

"Noooo!" My wailing sounds pathetic, but I really don't want to get up. We could order room service and I could stay right here, but no, Gray insists that we go downstairs to eat. He lets go of my arms and moves toward my legs, threatening to pull me all the way down to the floor.

" _Fine._ " I give up. Damn him.

Twenty minutes later I am dressed and following Gray down to the restaurant portion of the hotel. It might be a good thing that he got me out of bed, the aroma of food wakes my stomach and I hurry a little to catch up to Gray, who has picked out a small table for us. Luckily, it's still early and not many of the patrons are awake yet so we have most of the restaurant for ourselves.

We can choose between serving ourselves at the buffet or order something off the menu. One look at my breakfast companion and I decide on the buffet. He is eyeing the stacks of pancakes on one of the tables and I wonder how often he had them when he lived on his own.

"Let's go," I get out of my seat and Gray follows me like a puppy. I can tell he is excited about the buffet even though he is hiding it behind a neutral expression. I know him well - which is also why I go straight to the baked goods and pick up plates for both of us. He is beaming by the time we reach the pancakes and Gray helps himself to a heaping plate before returning to our table. I take my time choosing my breakfast.

The muffins look good so I grab one with chocolate chips and banana. There's also a pretty big fruit platter on which I spot pineapple and mangoes, so naturally I have to grab some of that. Just as I am about to reach the fruit, I am bumped into from the side and the collision nearly makes me drop my plate.

"Excuse m-" Before I finish my apology, I am interrupted by the person who bumped into me. A woman with brown hair and bright blue eyes huffs as she stumbles.

"Watch where you're going!" She sneers and promptly leaves, before I manage to retaliate. Excuse you? I have to watch where _I_ am going when _you_ bumped into me? I have half a mind to follow her and set her straight, but just as I turn on my heel to look for her, Gray appears beside me with a concerned expression.

"Are you okay? It looked like she purposely walked into you." He says and looks towards the exit where the rude woman disappeared off to. I don't know what her problem was, but I'm not going to let her ruin my breakfast.

Gray looks relieved when I tell him this and waits for me to pick my fruit before heading back to our table. Somehow he has procured another plate of pancakes while I grabbed some fruit for myself and he is telling me about what syrup he chose to go on top. It doesn't take me long to forget about her with Gray chattering away.

We finish our food and head back to our room to grab our swimsuits, before making our way to the pool. The resort has a lot of different pools that are sectioned off, so we go for one of the sides that have pool chairs and parasols and is some distance away from the water slides and family sections.

"Is that a new swimsuit?" Gray asks as we are walking. He is already in his swimming trunks and is looking curiously at my swimwear.

"It is. I picked it up when Levy and I went shopping last time." I explain and do a little twirl for him. I'm surprised he noticed. It's a black one-piece that ties at the neck and has cut outs on both sides of the waist with strings attaching the front and back.

"I thought so." He laughs at my twirling, "It looks good on you."

"Thank you." Hearing him compliment me makes me proud of my choice. Levy and I were torn between this model and one with mesh in the midsection, but I think this one works better for me, so I'm glad it was the one I picked out.

Once we reach the pool chairs and claim two of them, we set our belongings down and get ready for a day full of relaxing. In the evening we are going back into town to visit some of the shops and possibly a casino. For now, I am going to order a drink and work on my tan.

* * *

 **A short update, but I didn't have as much time as I hoped. There will be at least two more vacation chapters, otherwise I can't fit in any drama lol. Until next time (=w=)/**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I managed to get a short update in, hope you enjoy! Thanks for all the feedback, you guys are amazing!**

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It's been a couple of hours since we came down to the pool and I've got to say that I love it here. Gray and I have ordered iced tea and lemonade to sip on, and we are enjoying every moment of our relaxation. The warmth from the sun feels amazing and I'm once again grateful we came here instead of going hiking in the mountains. I look over at Gray who is lounging in the shade of an umbrella, and he looks as content as I feel. He looks up and meets my eyes, before reaching for his drink.

"I kind of don't want to move." He admits with a lazy grin as he empties the contents of his glass.

"Then don't. We can stay here all day if you want." I tell him. The idea of moving isn't appealing yet, so we might as well stay. I still have half of my book to get through, but I am starting to feel sleep creep up on me.

"No way, we're going out tonight." Gray tells me pointedly and starts stretching his arms above his head and to the sides. The movement is strangely captivating and I have to avert my eyes, because I feel kind of creepy watching him stretch. Maybe I should just close my eyes and take a nap.

"I'm going back in. Are you coming?" He has gotten up and is pointing towards the pool. And here I thought he didn't want to move. On one hand I don't think it's a bad idea to swim a little, but I can't be bothered to get up yet.

"You go ahead, I want to finish a few more chapters." It doesn't seem like my answer takes him by surprise, and instead he mock-salutes me before walking away. I swear I hear him mutter 'bookworm' as he makes his way to the ledge. I follow Gray with my eyes until he reaches the edge of the pool and he wastes no time leaping right in.

Once he resurfaces, he looks back in my direction as to confirm whether I am staying or not and starts swimming to the end of the pool. It isn't terribly crowded, so I'm not worried about Gray getting into trouble and I decide to return to my book. I think maybe five minutes have passed when my ears catch a bit of a conversation between two girls a couple of chairs over.

"He's hot. Do you think he's single?" One of them says to the other and I stop eavesdropping. It's just girl talk and I shouldn't be listening in on any conversation in the first place.

"Didn't he come here with the blonde one over there?" The other one says. Blonde one? Me? So much for not listening in. They might actually be referring to me since I don't see any other girl with blonde hair nearby. That means they must be talking about Gray.

"Are you sure?" The first one asks and their voices lower to whispers. I tune out and look over at the pool to see where Gray is and at first I can't see him. I'm on my feet in an instant. Where is he?

I spot him floating on the water with his eyes closed and arms behind his head, and for a second I feel my heart leap up into my throat at the thought that he is hurt, but he is just relaxing and I tell myself to calm down. He was just swimming a couple of minutes ago and he is very healthy, so it is nearly impossible that anything is wrong. Still, I have to confirm it, so I leave my book on the chair and go. It takes me only a few steps to reach the edge of the pool close to where he is floating.

"Gray?" He cracks one eye open and makes a questioning sound, but doesn't say anything.

"Is everything okay?" I'm trying very hard to keep my voice steady, but of course he notices and opens his eyes fully. One look at me and he stops floating so he can swim over to me. He leans his arms on the ledge and looks up at me with concern.

"I'm fine, Lucy. What's wrong?" I squat down to be closer to him and Gray's proximity calms me down a little. He is okay, there is nothing wrong. I catch myself sighing with relief.

"I don't know. I just got a weird feeling all of a sudden, but I'm glad you are okay." I start, but then I don't know what else to tell him so I stop talking. When he was floating with his eyes closed, I thought he might be hurt or in danger, which seems crazier by the minute.

Gray shifts a little and the pool water splashes over my toes. It's nice and cool so I dip one of my hands in the clear water and make invisible patterns on the surface. "Are you sure you're okay?" He asks me so gently it makes my heart clench. He looks so worried and I feel terrible for doing this to him. He was finally relaxing and I probably ruined it with my paranoia.

"I'll be fine." I try sounding confident, but I don't know if I'm convincing him. Nope, he is frowning. I sigh again. Great.

"Do you want to go back inside?" Gray asks and I nod. I actually do want to leave. He is already pulling himself out of the water and as soon as he stands, he reaches a hand out to help me up and pulls me to my feet. I don't let go of his hand right away, because I find myself wanting to hug him instead. It's always been a gesture that brings me comfort and I know Gray wouldn't mind, but I feel selfish enough as it is.

As I consider hugging him, something makes me look over at the two girls I heard whispering earlier and I see them watching us intently. As soon as I recognize the girl, I feel my mood worsen. It's the girl who bumped into me this morning at breakfast, and she is watching us like a hawk. Now that I'm certain she was talking about Gray, I don't feel the slightest bit of remorse when I hug him. I don't want her near him, he's been through enough already.

"Hey, it's okay, Lucy. I'm right here." Gray whispers soothingly and I almost cry. I do feel a little bit guilty for using him in front of the two girls, but that feeling is greatly outweighed by relief. I just want to go home to our little house and the meadow, but we're too far away, so I have to settle for our hotel room. It almost hurts to let go of him, but he is quick to grab my hand and I feel so lucky to have him.

"Can we go back to our room?" I feel like a little girl when I ask, but Gray agrees in a heartbeat and doesn't make me feel childish at all. We go back to our pool chairs hand in hand and grab our belongings before making our way to our room. Somehow, Gray has managed to towel himself off before we enter our room. Once inside I head straight for the bed and take a seat on the edge, my head is almost spinning.

I'm still holding Gray's hand and he sits beside me silently without breaking my hold on him. It's quiet here and I try to sort out the thoughts swarming inside my mind. I don't understand what just happened, I was fine this morning and nothing weird is going on, so I don't understand why I'm acting so paranoid. Gray was out of my sight for like ten minutes and I thought he was hurt. It's crazy and I feel stupid for reacting so badly. All of a sudden I feel incredibly tired and I just want to close my eyes for a second. I lean on Gray's shoulder and I feel him rubbing the back of my hand before I doze off.

* * *

The next time I wake up, it's late afternoon and I am tucked into bed. I don't remember taking off my flip flops or lying under the covers, and I realize that Gray must have removed my footwear and covered me up while I slept. I am still wearing my swimsuit, but luckily it wasn't wet when we came back up. I stretch on the bed and decide to change into something more suitable.

I feel a bit better now that I'm up, but I don't see Gray anywhere. Maybe he went out? Just as I think this he emerges from the bathroom and sees me sitting up.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Gray asks and takes a seat next to me. I notice that he has changed out of his swimwear as well, but his hair is a spiky mess – more so than usual.

"Better. Sorry for worrying you." I apologize and he shakes his head with a small smile.

"Don't worry about it. You were out for a couple of hours, so I got you some food from downstairs." He points to a small cart with a couple of shiny, dome-shaped lids not far from the door. He must have ordered room service while I slept, and I really appreciate his thoughtfulness, because I am starving.

"Thanks, Gray. You're the best." I get up from the bed and kiss his cheek before heading for the bathroom, and only when I am inside I realize what I have done. Why did I just kiss him? Was that weird? He didn't say anything and it was just a kiss on the cheek, so it's probably no big deal, right? Or is it a big deal because of our situation? I don't know anymore. It was just a show of gratitude, I didn't do anything wrong and even if I did, Gray would tell me.

With that in mind I quickly change and wash my face before going back out. Gray is still sitting on the bed and for a second I'm worried he is angry, but he looks up and smiles so I relax and head for the cart.

"Aren't you going to eat?" I ask and start checking out the food he ordered. There are some sandwiches and a couple of sides, all very basic, which I don't mind at all. We are probably going to eat dinner in town, and the sandwiches actually look great so I put together a plate and take a seat at our tiny desk space.

"I already ate a while ago, so you go ahead." He explains, but I feel bad being the only one eating and manage to coax some fries into him. After we finish eating, Gray has this contemplative look on his face and I ask what's on his mind.

"We don't have to go out tonight, if you'd rather stay here." He offers and I have to stop myself from launching myself into his arms. It is so sweet of him and I would probably have said yes if I still was feeling off, but taking a nap really helped and I actually want to go get some fresh air.

"Thanks, but I want to go out for a bit." I tell him and it only takes a couple of minutes to convince him that I really do feel better and want to go. Besides, I promised Gray we would hit up a casino and now that I'm in the mood for it, I wouldn't mind dressing up a little. I don't have any of the lavish dresses Erza usually brings with her, but I did bring a nice dress for such occasions and I don't see when else I would wear it.

* * *

 **Until next time (=w=)/**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: My muse suddenly returned and I've spent the entire evening writing. It feels good to back at it and hopefully I will be able to update more frequently. Thanks for your patience and the love you show my story!**

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It's nice and hot while we are out walking tonight. There's a nearby casino that we want to check out and hopefully we'll grab a couple of drinks while we're there. I had wine yesterday, but I wouldn't mind some cocktails tonight to loosen up a little. It's been more than two weeks since we got married, but I still feel, well, jumpy all the time. I've noticed that I keep looking over my shoulder no matter where we go, and if I lose sight of Gray for even a minute I start freaking out.

The point of coming here was to relax, not to be overly paranoid and I don't think I'm doing a very good job at that. That isn't to say that I am not enjoying our trip, but I can't help feeling antsy. It's like I'm constantly expecting someone to show up and ruin our vacation, but I have to remind myself that very few people know that we are here, so we'll be fine.

Finally we spot the casino that was listed in our guide book and I have to say it looks pretty grand. Gray is positively beaming and drags me by the hand up the stairs, leading me in through the massive doors.

As soon as we're inside the heavy scent of smoke hits my nose and makes me want to gag. I've forgotten how much I dislike the smell and it takes me a while to get used to it, but I get over it eventually. I'm more intrigued by the interior of the casino and the flurry of activity. The hall is almost filled to the brim with people and chatter resounds from everywhere, even close to the entrance were we are standing.

The hall is huge and as far as I can tell is divided into three sections with a wide variety of slots and games. I glance at Gray who is already scanning the floor and I give his arm a little tug.

"Anywhere you want to start or should we just hit the slots randomly?" I ask him. He considers for a second and answers, but I can't hear him over the chatter all around us and I have to ask him to repeat.

This time he leans very close to my ear and tells me he has chosen a route for us, but I almost miss his words due to his close proximity. Gray is _very_ close to me, so close that I can almost feel his lips move against my ear and it sends shivers down my spine. It is doing something to my chest that I don't like and I have to stop myself from stepping away from him. He pulls back when I nod and starts leading my down the section to the right and I take the time to catch my breath.

What just happened? Gray and I have always been comfortable with each other and I've never been bothered by his closeness – hell we even share a bed – but this is the first time I felt something stir in my chest and not in a good way. As I'm trying to figure out why I felt uncomfortable, I am distracted for a second and somehow lose sight of Gray which immediately makes me anxious.

He was right in front of me a moment ago! I'm trying to look around and spot him but there are so many people around me that I can barely move. It feels so constricting and I'm just about to give up and move to the side so I can wait for him, when a hand grabs hold of my wrist and scares the crap out of me. I'm a second away from slapping the person when I recognize his voice calling out to me.

"Lucy!" Oh thank God it's Gray. He looks relieved at seeing me and pulls me closer to him so he can put his arm behind my back.

"It's freaking crowded, we better stick close together." He grins at me and presses me against his side and this time my heart does a little flip. Gray looks younger, but not in the same way as when he isn't scowling, but his face is lit up from excitement and it makes him even more charming. I banish these thoughts as soon as they occur, but somewhere in the back of my mind I've _noticed_ and now I can't unsee it. Gray is handsome. And it makes me feel both proud and apprehensive at the same time, which is sort of odd. Proud because he came here with me and apprehensive because he is sure to attract other women and I can't deal with that right now. I don't want any stranger approaching him and making him uncomfortable – that's the last thing he needs.

Come on Lucy, let's just focus on what we're doing and it'll be fine. Gray is a grown man and he can take care of himself. It's not like I have to protect him when we're here to have fun. I just have to rela-

"Hey Lucy, do you want something to drink?" His voice is, again, very close to me as he speaks and it nearly makes me jump when I hear it.

"Sorry, what?" I feel like an idiot for being startled and I swear I see Gray smirking. I'm going to strangle him if he makes fun of me.

"I was just asking if you wanted a drink." He laughs at me and I whack his arm. Or at least I try to, but it is hard when he has it draped around me. I do want a drink actually. It feels so stuffy with all these people around us, a drink would probably help put me at ease. It's probably the crowd and the heat that is making me uncomfortable.

"Let's go to the bar, but Lucy stay close to me." The last part Gray says so seriously that I'm taken back for a second before I remember where we are. I would be an easy target for anyone if I was by myself in this sort of crowd. I nod and we start walking in the direction of the bar, which itself is very well lit and easy to spot in the dimness of the hall.

As we walk I take the time to look around the rest of the casino. I though there were only three sections of slots, but as we near the bar area I see that there are more slots and several huge tables behind it. The casino is way bigger than I initially thought.

Gray points to some showrooms off to the side as we wait for the bartender to take our orders and I'm half-tempted to go take a look while I wait for my drink, but it might not be a good idea to go by myself and I don't think Gray is interested in going. The bartender calls out to us and we order our drinks before I can think further about the showrooms. I lean against the side of the bar and take another look around. Gray is also leaning back and casually observing the games closest to us.

"Do you think we'll win something?" I ask Gray as we wait. I don't have particularly good luck when gambling, and I can't beat the statistics behind the games, but maybe he is luckier than I am.

Instead of answering like he normally does, he leans down next to my ear again and replies, "Probably not, but it's worth a shot." His breath tickles my ear and I'm about to reply when he does something unexpected.

Like before, his mouth is very close to my ear, but this time he brings his hand up to touch my hair and tuck it behind my ear. Despite our dull conversation, the action is very gentle but still incredibly intimate. This time I don't feel uncomfortable by his closeness and catch on quickly. To observers it must look like flirting, and I realize Gray is protecting me again, so I decide to retaliate a little. I run my fingers up his arm and place my hand on his shoulder, batting my lashes and lowering my voice.

"If we win something, I'm going to spend it all on renovating the garden." I am going for a sultry tone and I guess I'm doing it right when I see Gray raise a brow at me. He looks strangely impressed with me. He is full on smirking and continues our little game of having a completely different conversation than what our body language suggests.

His head dips in my direction and he nuzzles my cheeks with his nose, "I want a hammock then. Or a swing, you decide." He has stepped closer to my and his arms are on either side of me, like he is trying to trap me. His voice is slightly husky as he speaks and he nearly towers over me. It does something to my insides that makes me forget that we are being playful, and I place my hands on his arms right below his elbows - and I stop moving immediately. This is wrong.

What am I doing? Gray isn't really flirting with me, we are just putting on a show in case anyone is watching, which is completely unnecessary. We don't really need to pretend since we came here together and most people will assume that we are a couple. I have to remind myself that we came here as friends, and that I shouldn't have reacted to him at all. Shame burns my cheeks and I take a step back from him, thumping my back into the cool surface of the bar. I'm so embarrassed I wish I could sink into the ground. What must he think of me, almost throwing myself at him at the slightest interaction of a different nature. I need to put some distance between us before he notices.

Thankfully I'm saved by the bartender that slides our drinks over to us, which distracts Gray just enough for me to take a step to the side. We thank him and leave the bar area and I try getting my heart rate under control again. I have to stop reacting to Gray like this, it's not right. We're just friends put in an unfavorable situation, I shouldn't try changing anything in the way we behave around each other. I have to end these kinds of thoughts or things will go wrong.

I take a sip of my drink and feel the liquid cool me down from the inside. I feel a little better. I ordered a strawberry daiquiri, which I didn't think was considered a casino drink, but it was available so I got it. Gray ordered some strange, blue drink that's called Screaming Blue Viking and smells kind of minty. He takes a tentative sip and looks pleasantly surprised by the taste. I don't decline when he offers it to me to taste, and I must say it's quite good. It tastes sweet like orange and honey, but still minty.

"There's a spot free at that table, let's go have a look." Gray suggests and starts leading the way. He places a hand at my lower back to guide me and I'm immediately hyperaware of his touch. I could ask him to remove his hand, but he might catch on to my weird mood so I bite my tongue and bear it silently. The next hour or so passes like this with Gray carting us from table to table, while I try to sort out myself.

I've decided that what happened tonight was a one-time thing, and since we didn't really _do_ anything, we haven't pushed any of the unspoken boundaries between us. We're still only friends and we'll stay like that. Once I've made up my mind, it's easy to fall back into routine with Gray. We talk as we normally do and make each other laugh, and there are no weird vibes between us.

At some point Gray gets some earnings – not enough to renovate our garden – but enough to cover what we have spent during the evening and then some. After that we decide to call it a night and head back to our hotel. It's pretty late and we are the only people on the street, so it's very quiet and the clacking from my shoes resounds.

"That was fun!" I tell him on the walk back. My feet are a little sore from wearing heels, but I'm feeling better than I have in a very long time and it isn't even because of the slight buzz in my head. Not entirely at least. I feel like myself again and I'm starting to think that we'll eventually be alright.

"Yeah, it's been a while since we let loose like that." Gray remarks. It takes a while before I notice that he isn't chattering away or planning our day tomorrow and when I look over, he has sagged behind so I slow to a stop. I wait for him to catch up, and I'm surprised when he embraces me all of a sudden.

"Gray?" My voice sounds tiny in the empty street. He exhales once before releasing me and I watch him run a hand through his hair.

"It was good to see you finally unwind. I feel like you haven't laughed so freely ever since, you know… You've just seemed so beside yourself, which is expected of course, but I really felt like you were back to your usual self, Lucy." Gray's words touch my heart and I appreciate him more than ever. It really seems like I do nothing but worry him, and while I'm a little sad that he has been that affected by my mental state, I'm also happy that he tells me. Since we are having a heart to heart, I might as well share something with him.

"I'm sorry for constantly causing you stress, Gray. I know I haven't exactly been the easiest to deal with, but I have to say that it has been easier because of your support. I will be okay, I promise, I just need a little more time." It feels a little bit cheesy to say, and I am a little embarrassed, but the relief I see on Gray's face makes it all worth it. He has done so much for me, the least I can do in return is to be honest with him. But as I thought, it's still embarrassing.

"Now let's go before we both say something sappy, my feet hurt." I complain and start pulling him along.

"Yes ma'am."

* * *

 **I know there are some repeating patterns here, but trust me it'll get better soon. Until next time (=w=)/**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: A flashback is described in this chapter, so when the narration switches to past tense that's the flashback.**

* * *

I wake up the next morning feeling like I'm a grape being squeezed between two fingers. I already know that Gray is the culprit without having to open my eyes. He stops squeezing me when I wriggle a little and his grip on me becomes bearable again. I want to try to go back to sleep, but I don't think I will be able to with Gray constantly latching onto me. I might as well get up.

Today I actually manage to get out of his hold without too much effort on my part. I was lucky that he decided to roll over when I tried to release his hold on me and I didn't have to spend ten minutes wriggling and pushing him. I go to the bathroom to freshen up and when I return I see a ray of light across the floor.

The sun is already starting to rise and it's a beautiful day out as far as I can tell. You know what? Since I am up, I might as well watch the sunrise. I can't remember the last time I did, but there is something extremely therapeutic about seeing the sky change color. I grab a robe that I tossed onto the chair last night and put it on before I go out to our balcony. Maybe it's not too chilly outside.

Okay, it is pretty chilly, but I will live. We have a couple of chairs and a small table next to the door, and this is where I settle down to watch the sky brighten. It's such a captivating sight. I can feel the heat from the sun as soon as the light touches my skin, and gradually the night retreats and makes way for a brand new day. It lifts my mood a little knowing that there will always be a beautiful sunrise to watch, no matter how hard a day has been. Except if the world ends, there would be no more sun. Okay Lucy, we are not going down that rabbit hole. It's way too early to think about the world ending. Let's try and relax a little instead.

It's been a while since I've had some time for myself.

Lately I've spent all my time with Gray, and although I have my own room back home, by the time I go up there I'm so exhausted that I just want to sleep. I love his company, I really do, but I also miss being on my own. Scratch that – I miss not feeling guilty every time I look at Gray. I've been trying to suppress it, but I have to admit that I can't get rid of my guilt.

I hate this feeling. I can't get the memories out of my mind, no matter how hard I try. I've replayed the events with every possible scenario, but I can't think of any way that I could have avoided this situation. It's not as chilly now, and the sun warms my face, so I lean back with my eyes closed. And then I think back.

It's been, what, two weeks since I left to go see my father? And somewhere around three weeks since I found out I was being stalked. In the weeks that have passed, I haven't been able to let go of the resentment I feel for those two, and I'm starting to think I never will.

As you know, I wanted to settle things with my father on my own, but the rest of the team refused to let me go alone. In hindsight it was a smart choice to bring backup, but I can't help but feel it might have turned out differently if I were by myself. I know, of course, that it isn't true, but I can't help it. Anyways, so we travelled to the Heartfilia Estate to settle matters and the Creep was there, waiting for me.

My father was out on business at the time and had left _him_ in charge. Natsu, bless his soul, pounced on him the moment he came into view and Erza had to hold him back. The Creep, whose real name is something else, was frightened by Natsu, but refused to end our betrothal and said that there was no way out of it. The team and I went to my old library and searched for any loopholes, but it seemed like the arranged marriage was unavoidable. Natsu was actually the one who found the solution without realizing it. We had been looking over whatever legal documents we had found for hours, when he groaned in frustration.

"Why couldn't you just be married to someone else, Lucy? Then he wouldn't be able to trap you like this." I remember freezing the second he finished his sentence. I could marry someone else and be free of my father and this creepy dude. It could work. Erza and Gray realized it at the same time as me, and we started planning right away.

It was perfect. We agreed that I had come to the estate to ask for my father's blessing, and since my marriage had already been arranged (without my consent) I had to elope. The only problem: who was I supposed to elope with? I didn't have a boyfriend, and the only other options were my two teammates with me, but I couldn't ask that of them. Still, Natsu volunteered right away.

"I'll do it, Lucy. We're already best friends, it's gonna be awesome!" I think he was trying to reassure me that it would be loads better than the alternative, but it didn't help. Gray shook his head at Natsu's statement.

"What do you think Lucy? It will certainly cancel the betrothal, but are you willing to get married?" Erza asked me. I wanted to run away and never come back. I wanted my arranged marriage to be cancelled, but I didn't want to marry someone else to avoid it. How was that fair?

"Natsu, are you sure about this?" Erza asked with a frown.

"I'll do it," Gray spoke, "we need someone who can convince them that it's the real deal and flamebrain here can't do that. He's too rash and will mess it up. It has to be someone level-headed." That of course led to a big argument between Natsu and Gray, and Erza had to pull them apart by force. By the end of it, Natsu had grudgingly admitted that he might be too hot-headed for the role.

"I can't…"

"You have to marry one of us Lucy, there is no other way out. I'd rather it be one of us than someone else entirely. How will you convince a stranger to marry you? And there's not enough time for you to find someone else. It's gotta be Natsu or me." Gray argued. He had a point, but I wouldn't be able to live with myself. How could I ask that of them? Natsu agreed with him.

"I can't do that to either of you." But I didn't want to marry the Creep. Gray pulled me to the side and spent a lot of time convincing me that it was the right thing to do. Even Erza took his side.

"Gray is right, Lucy. There is nothing else we can do. It's going to be hard to pretend with someone you are not close with, and you will have to keep up the act until your fiancé stops pursuing you." Erza explained to me. She asked Gray if he knew what he was getting into, and he just nodded.

"Look, we'll give it two years or something, and then we can get a divorce if that's what you want. The most important thing to all of us right now is that you are safe and away from that creep. We'll deal with everything else later." Gray said to me. I wanted to scream. I remember looking at Natsu, hoping he could just beat the crap out of my betrothed and save the day, and he probably figured out what I was thinking.

"Lucy, you don't have to do this, but it will get you out of this situation for sure. And the snowcone can't be all bad. It's just for a little while, you'll be okay." Natsu hugged me tightly.

It was those words that convinced me, and I accepted Gray's impromptu proposal. Since we didn't have a ring to show, he gave me the silver cross he always wore around his neck as proof of our engagement and Natsu and Erza were our witnesses.

After that it was only a matter of convincing the creep that we were engaged and had to elope since he wouldn't cancel our betrothal and I hadn't received my father's blessing. That's how I ended up as Lucy Heartfilia Fullbuster and that's why I will never be able to repay Gray for what he has done.

I just fear that we didn't convince him and that the Creep hasn't given up, even though I am legally married. Sigh. I have to stop thinking like this if I want to enjoy the rest of our vacation.

* * *

I don't know how long I have stayed out on the balcony for, but when I go back inside Gray is awake, I think. He is still in bed, but his eyes are open. Kind of.

"Good morning," I greet him and he blinks at me tiredly. Maybe he isn't as awake as I thought. I hope he isn't hungover. We didn't have _that_ many drinks yesterday and Gray is usually good at holding his liquor.

"Sleep." He mumbles and burrows down under the covers. I see the perfect opportunity to get revenge for yesterday morning, when I was so rudely woken up, and I yank the covers away from him. He whines and tries to get them back, but I am standing too far away from him to reach me.

"Nooo… Lucy… Stop…" He curls in on himself and I laugh. Sleepy Gray is the best. He is trying to fall back asleep, but I won't let him. I shake his shoulder and try not to laugh again. He is looking at me sullenly.

"Come on, Gray. Let's go get breakfast. We have a long day ahead of us." I try to coax him up with promises of pancakes and pastries, but he doesn't get up until I promise we'll try more sweets in town. Today we have a tour of the city planned and that includes restaurants.

"Alright, alright. I'm getting up." He sighs and starts leaving the comfort of the bed. On the way to the washroom, he mutters something about 'evil woman'. It's my win.

Twenty minutes later we are downstairs and having our breakfast. The buffet has different options this morning for the hot dishes and I choose oatmeal. Gray, of course, sticks to pancakes. From his expression I can tell that they are good.

"When do you want to leave? We have all day to explore, but did you want to hit the spa first?" He asks me between bites. Oh that's right, we haven't actually utilized our resort's spa and wellness offer. Maybe we can squeeze it in later?

"When does the spa close? I don't think it's a good idea to get all pampered and get a facial if we are going to be gross and sweaty the rest of the day. If we make it back before it closes, we can go then." I tell him as he finishes yet another pancake. I have to try and change _some_ of Gray's diet, he can't just live off pancakes every day.

"Sure. Do you think they have those massages with the coal or whatever?" He grins at me excitedly.

"Coals? Do you mean the hot stone massage? Most likely, but that's with lava stones as far as I know." I explain.

"Yeah that!" Now that he mentions it, I also want to try. We return to our breakfast and finish eating relatively fast.

Just as we are heading out of the dining area, I see that brunette who was checking Gray out at the pool yesterday. Her eyes are on him immediately and I make a big show of linking our arms and telling him how excited I am for our day. She rolls her eyes at me as we pass and I already know she is going to cause some sort of problem later.

* * *

We've been wandering around town all day and I'm so glad I didn't wear my new sandals, otherwise my feet would be killing me. It's pretty hot out and I want to get a cold drink soon, but first I have to choose a dress to buy. We are currently in a shop that sells clothing and I wanted to buy some things for both of us.

"Which one do you like better, Gray? The purple or the green one?" Gray has been waiting patiently while I tried on a couple of items and looks over at the two dresses in my hands.

It was so hard to narrow down my choices, everything here is so cute, but I have to be practical. Autumn is right around the corner and I should probably dig out my warmer clothes sooner than later. I can do that when I get back home, right now I have to choose a dress so we can find a café or something.

"You look good in both of them. I don't think I've seen you in much purple though?" Gray touches the fabric of both dresses and decides on my behalf that the purple dress will be more comfortable.

"I don't know, I think my wardrobe is pretty varied." It's a cute dress, with black flowers patterned along the hem of the skirt. The green one is cute too, but I don't like the neckline and sleeves on that one. Purple it is. "Guess I never noticed," he replies.

When we go to the register to pay, Gray surprises me by putting my dress on the counter and pulling out his wallet. "What are you doing Gray?" I ask.

"Paying." He looks at me like it is obvious, which it is, but you know.

"I can see that, but why?"

"I just want to treat my wife to something nice." He grins at me and I have the urge to roll my eyes, but it's sweet of him to pay so I don't say anything mean. The cashier is watching our interaction curiously. Either he has recognized us from somewhere or he is just nosy, but he is not hiding the fact that he's watching.

"Thanks." I muster up the brightest smile I can and wrap my arms around his waist. I also kiss his cheek for good measure, and I see the guy behind the counter smile and look down. Crisis averted.

We leave the shop in search of a café where we can get something to eat and find one just a street down. This is where we go for our late lunch. I hadn't even noticed that I was hungry, but as soon as we are seated and I take a look at the menu, my stomach grumbles so loudly that Gray snickers. As we wait for our food, Gray and I decide where we want to go next, and before we know it we are done eating and on our way out again. We've spent the entire day walking around town and checking out all the spots and by the end my feet are pretty sore. We probably won't make it back to the hotel in time to go to the spa, but we have the entire day tomorrow to do relax.

Gray and I were supposed to go on a guided tour of the city ruins, but we would rather go by ourselves so we cancelled that and now there is time for ultimate relaxation.

"Gray, my feet hurt!" I complain, not really meaning it. The atmosphere has been so nice and relaxed between us today, I'm so happy we came out here.

"Want me to carry you?" He offers with a laugh. His arm finds his way around my shoulders and he steers me to the side so an elderly couple can pass by us. They smile knowingly at us.

"No, but I think we should head back soon." I tell him when he lets go of me. I wouldn't mind if he kept his arm around me, it's getting kind of chilly.

"Yeah, you're only wearing a dress. Do you want to wear my jacket? I don't want you to catch a cold." It's like he is reading my mind. Before I can protest, he is already shrugging it off and draping it over me, but it's nice and warm, and it smells like Gray.

"Thanks, but what about you? Aren't you cold?" I ask and grab his sleeve. His shirt is pretty thin and also short-sleeved, he must also be cold.

He lifts an eyebrow and points to himself, "Ice mage, remember?"

"Yeah, let's go." I roll my eyes and start walking and I can hear his footsteps and muffled laughter behind me as we start the long walk back.

* * *

 **Before someone comes for me, I am aware that Lucy could also have chosen to marry Erza, which would give them a pretty good reason to want to elope, but I don't recall any gay characters in FT at the top of my head, and this is a GrayLu story that's why Erza wasn't considered. Until next time (=w=)/**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hi there, I'm still alive, don't worry. I haven't forgotten about any of my fics, I've just been hella busy. I graduated university a while ago and now I'm looking for jobs, so in the meantime I'll try writing more. Thanks for all your reviews, faves and follows!**

* * *

I wake up the next day with Gray cuddled against my back. He hasn't wrapped himself around me, so I can get away pretty easily, but I like the heat he is radiating from behind me. His breathing is still slow and deep, I don't think he will wake up right away. I get up to use the bathroom and when I get back, I notice him searching for me in his sleep. He grabs my pillow and hugs it close when he can't find me. It's kind of cute.

Today we have nothing but pampering planned. I booked hot stone massages and facials for both of us, and I'm kind of tempted to try a mud bath as well. Gray will be down for whatever, but I want to ask him if there is anything he doesn't want to try. I want him to try getting a pedicure, but he's very squeamish when it comes to his feet, so I don't know if he'll agree to it.

If we have time, we'll probably go to the bar downstairs. We leave for Magnolia in another two days and we wanted to go shopping tomorrow and maybe tour the castles. I still need to get Gray a wedding present.

I sit on the bed and I can hear Gray's soft snores. I want to start our day already, but our massages are booked hours from now and I would feel bad for waking him for no good reason. I've noticed that Gray and I both have slept better ever since coming here, but I really miss the peace and quiet of our own house. Here, at the resort, you can always hear other people and I miss silence to work in.

Since Gray is asleep, I might get some writing done. I haven't really felt like writing the past three weeks, but I need to get the ideas buzzing in my head out and onto paper. I _need_ to write. It's like an itch. I would like to write my novel for Gray, but even if I left out names and revealing details, he could wake at any moment and look over. And I know how curious he is when it comes to my stories. Yeah, it would be better if I finished some of my works already in progress.

With that in mind, I take a seat at the small desk in our room and get to work, careful not to be too loud. I have the bed behind me and to my right is our small balcony. I'm tempted to sit outside and write, but I know I work better at a proper desk, so inside I stay.

It's probably been around an hour since I sat down when Gray stirs. I hear him yawning and turn around to find him cocooned in the blankets, squinting against the sunlight.

"Good morning." I call, and Gray looks over at me, still looking sleepy.

"'Morning, Lucy." He yawns again and stretches on the bed. I fight the impulse to walk over and poke him in the side. I know he is ticklish, but his reactions are usually pretty extreme and I don't want to walk around with a black eye, because I pushed him too far.

"Are you ready to get up or do you want to sleep some more?" He considers my question and burrows back down. His cocoon is back and I can only glimpse some of his spiky hair at the top. "Sleep," he declares faintly. All right then.

I turn back to write some more. Twenty minutes pass before I hear rustling from the bed and I feel Gray sitting at the edge of the bed, right behind me.

"Whatchu writing?" He asks and leans over, placing his chin on my shoulder and startling me. I hadn't noticed that the desk was that close to the bed, and he since doesn't seem uncomfortable leaning on me, I don't mind.

"I think I finally figured out how to add this characters secondary arc to this story." I show him my notebook with my current plot outline. Gray knows the plots of most of my works in progress, and I bounce ideas off him once in a while.

"Cool," he says, slumping down on the bed again. He lets me finish the bullet points I was writing before addressing me again, "Do you want to go get some food?"

"Yeah, let me just finish this outline."

"Okay." I hear him get up and go to the bathroom, and I am almost done outlining when he comes back.

"Lucy, come _on._ You're so slow, I'm starving!" Gray whines and tugs at my arm. He keeps tugging until I swat him away.

"Hush, I'm almost done," I tell him when he starts complaining again. "Besides, _you're_ the one who decided to sleep in." He looks so offended when I say that, it's almost comical. Before he continues arguing, I snap my notebook shut and get up. "Alright let's go." I usher him out the door, and we go downstairs in search of food.

* * *

"I can't believe I've never tried a facial before." Gray sighs in the chair next to me.

"It's pretty great, huh?" I ask, watching him from the corner of my eye. Gray looks like the epitome of relaxation, complete with a fluffy robe and cucumbers covering his eyes. I wish I had a camera. Natsu would kill to get his hands on a photo like that.

"We've gotta do it again sometime." Gray sounds content and at peace, and I couldn't ask for more.

"Sure!" I laugh. Regular facials do sound good, though.

We already had our hot stone massages and Gray was more receptive to it than I would have thought. It was a bit much for my liking, but it's probably an acquired taste and I don't know if I'll try it again. After this, we are having lunch and then we'll probably take a dip in the pool later.

"What's the point of getting a facial if we're going in the pool right after?" Gray asks me, ever the voice of reason. He's right, of course, but I really want to relax by the pool. We'll get to that later.

* * *

At lunch I have the feeling that I'm being watched by someone. The hairs on my neck stand up and I try sweeping the dining area for anyone suspicious. I've been on too many missions where we could have been ambushed, but I doubt someone will attack us in broad daylight at a hotel. Still, I scan our surroundings. Of course, my eyes fall on the brunette that was checking Gray out a couple of days ago. She is watching us once again and I have a feeling she's planning something, but for all I know that could also be her default expression.

Still, I keep an eye on her and sure enough, her gaze follows Gray when he gets up to fill his plate. Great. I'm considering whether or not to tell Gray, when he comes back to our table and lowers his voice to a whisper.

"You see that girl in the blue dress by the window?" He asks as he sits down. It's her. I nod, "She's been watching us for a while. Do you think she's up to something?" He whispers and dips his head in her general direction. Okay, he noticed it too.

"I'm not sure. It's not the first time I've caught her staring, maybe she isn't aware?" I doubt it, but it is still a possibility. She could be staring into space or just be naturally nosy and invasive. My gut feeling is that she is going to become a headache. I hope I'm wrong, but it's good to know that our vigilance isn't suffering from being on vacation.

"Maybe. Let's just keep an eye on her for now." Gray suggests and I agree. We go back to eating and a little while later, we forget about her presence. When I look over, I see that her table is empty and I can't see her in the dining hall or at the buffet, so she must have left. Finally. Gray and I both relax when it appears she isn't coming back, and my mood improves considerably.

After lunch, we head back to our room to grab our swimwear. We have decided not to use the outdoor pool, but stay in the wellness area that also has some smaller pools and hot tubs. There are fewer families here and the atmosphere is rather relaxed, so we decide to occupy one of the many hot tubs. It's pretty spacious and has a great view outside, and no one else is using it so we have the space for ourselves.

We stay in the hot tub for nearly an hour before making our way back to our room for some down time. It's still early, but I feel my stomach starting to grumble. I could get a snack now, but I can't be bothered to go downstairs. I wonder where we'll eat today.

"Gray do you want to go out for dinner or should we just eat here?" I ask him when he emerges from the bathroom after showering. His face still looks glowy from our facial, he must have taken great care while washing up.

He looks thoughtful for a second before replying, "We can eat here, unless you really want to go out?"

"Let's just stay in." He nods in acceptance and goes to grab a book, before settling onto the bed. Then I remember we haven't tried the bar downstairs yet. I mention it to Gray who makes a humming noise, already caught up in the book. I decide to ask him later.

I hop in the shower too and change into something comfortable and warm. Gray has a deep blue sweater that looks super comfy, but I don't know if he brought it with him. Maybe he'll let me borrow it when we get back. I miss home. I miss the guild and Natsu, Happy and Erza. I hope we can see them soon. Only two more days and we'll be back in Magnolia. Until then, I'll have to keep myself busy.

I go back to working on my current project for a while, but I can't seem to focus. My flow from earlier is completely gone, and I've hit a wall in my writing. Outlining isn't helping me either and I don't want to switch between works all the time. Maybe I should read too? Gray looks comfortable on the bed and he's completely engrossed in his novel. He probably won't notice if I join him. I grab one of my books and quietly climb on to the bed beside Gray. I lean back as well and start reading.

We've been reading quietly for nearly forty minutes, when Gray lets out a startled yell and jumps up. "When did you get here?" He asks me, hallway across the room.

"Almost an hour ago." I hide my smile behind my book and try distracting him, "Did you finish your novel?"

"Yeah, it was _so good_. Why have you never told me this series was so good?" Gray pouts and plops back down on the bed, making the mattress bounce.

"I did, and I have the sequel at home." I inform him. He grins excitedly and starts telling me about his favorite moments in the book. Guess I'm not reading anymore.

Eventually we go down to have dinner. The food is great and there are so many options that sound heavenly, but we are pacing ourselves. After eating, we decide to finally check the bar out. We aren't dressed to go out anyway, and I honestly just want to have a few drinks and go back to reading my book.

* * *

Compared to the casino we went to two nights ago, I much prefer the resort's bar area. It's clean and tidy, and the lighting is dim. There's nowhere to dance, but soft music is playing around the bar.

"Lucy look, they have some of your favorite cocktails here." Gray points out as we approach the bar stools. It's a pretty long line of chairs, and it isn't overly crowded. We manage to spot a couple of free chairs at the end of the bar and quickly slide into them.

"I bet you can have them make you something crazy." I tell Gray as a dare. I know he won't back down from the challenge, so we wager tomorrow's dinner on whether he can order three random, but crazy drinks and hold them down.

We've just been served our first drinks when a high pitched voice calls out right behind me, "Oh my God, you're _the_ Lucy Heartfilia!" I turn around and see the brunette from breakfast standing behind us, hands clasped in front of her chest. "Imagine running into you here! I am _such_ a big fan!" She gushes, and I can feel my eye twitch. I need a stronger drink.

* * *

 **I wonder what this girl wants from our favorite couple? You'll find out next time. Until then (=w=)/**


	11. Chapter 11

Gray and I exchange glances and I can see my doubt mirrored in his expression. Something is fishy about this girl. I turn in my chair, giving her my attention. If she really is a fan, like she's claiming, there's a chance that she'll go away if I humor her, but I have a bad feeling about this.

"Can I help you?" I was going for a courteous tone, but I just sound cold. She must have noticed too, because I see her expression falter for a second, but she's good at regaining her composure. Maybe she's an actress.

"My name is Lila, and I was hoping I could have some of your time!" She bats her lashes at me and continues, "You see, I just started out modeling and I was hoping you could maybe give me some advice? I saw your spread in the Sorcerer Magazine and I just _loved_ your feature with Mary-Jane a while back." Oh, so she's a model, and she clearly doesn't know anything about me or Mira. I haven't worked for the magazine in almost two years, and I've only been featured with Mira twice before.

"Thanks, but I'm sorry, I'll have to politely decline," I lean close to Gray and wrap my hands around his arm, going for the same saccharine tone she used. "You see, my husband and I are on our honeymoon and we promised not to bring any work with us."

Gray, bless his heart, immediately picks up and leans over to drop a kiss on my temple. "Only because you don't know how to relax," he adds good-naturedly. I can tell that Lila's smile is strained. What is up with this girl? What does she want?

"That's so… sweet!" Her voice sounds forced, and I can tell that she is trying to think of something else to say. "When did you get married?" She finally asks, tilting her head.

"Just a few weeks ago, actually." Gray answers for me. I'm still holding onto his arm and I feel how tense he is. I squeeze his arm, trying to get him to relax and he shoots me a little smile.

"Oh, congratulations."

"Thanks." I wonder if she's gotten the hint yet, but I can see that she's thinking. Finally, she takes her leave and I breathe a sigh of relief.

"I wonder what she wanted." Gray asks under his breath and I shrug. As long as she doesn't bother us, I don't care. I know she's still around, because I catch her looking our way more than once.

Gray is slowly letting loose and he's going all in with the random drinks, I think he's on his fourth now, but they don't seem to be all that strong. I'll have to keep an eye on him though, make sure he doesn't get wasted. I know he's really looking forward to tomorrow, and I'd hate for him to be stuck in bed with a hangover on our last day here. Still, I can't wait to be home. I miss Natsu and Happy and Erza. I miss the guild. I tell Gray this and he nods, taking another swig of his drink and gagging loudly.

We stay for almost an hour before I need to go to the bathroom. Gray wants to stay here and play pool. He hasn't had too much to drink so I think it is fine to leave him to his own devices. I'm feeling kind of tired though, so I might just stay upstairs and turn in for the night. I could get some writing done while I have the room to myself. After making sure Gray isn't drunk, I leave.

Once I'm in our room, I feel worn out again. It's still pretty early, but if I end up falling asleep, I don't think I will miss out on anything. Maybe I should just stay up until Gray gets here. He held back on the drinks after his sixth one, so I'm confident he will be fine on his own. I wonder if he misses having Cana as his drinking buddy.

I sit down at the small desk once again and try writing some more. I can still hear people from outside our balcony and I'm tempted to sit outside for a little while. The sun's already gone down, but the weather is nice and I could do with a little fresh air. Still, I need to get some work done.

When we get back to Magnolia, I want to try taking a mission with Gray, but I'm scared he'll get sick of being around me at all times. This vacation has been nice and all, but he has barely had any time for himself, so maybe I shouldn't suggest going on a mission right away. I really want to go with Natsu, but I know I'll keep worrying about Gray while I'm gone. What if he is targeted by the Creep while I'm gone? I wouldn't be able to live with myself if anything happened to him.

It's been a while since I came up to our room and Gray isn't back yet. Should I go back down and check on him? He's usually a responsible drinker, but tension has been running high the past few weeks, maybe I should make sure he's okay.

I've just gotten up from my seat when I hear rustling from outside the door and it swings open, revealing Gray with Lila passed out in his arms.

* * *

"What the hell, Gray?" I can feel my temper flare and I have to force myself not to snap. There has to be a perfectly logical reason for my husband to be carrying an unconscious girl up to our room.

"Lucy! You're okay!" Gray looks relieved and I feel a tiny stab of guilt, but I still don't know what's going on.

"What happened? Why is she unconscious?" As irritating as she was, I don't hope anything bad has happened to the Lila girl.

"She tried to drug me." Gray frowns. Wait, she tried to _drug_ Gray? Scratch that, I hope he knocked her out.

"Are you okay?" Outwardly, Gray looks fine, though his cheeks are a little flushed. I go to Gray and help him get inside as he struggles with carrying Lila.

"I'm fine. She tried to put something in my glass, but I switched our drinks when she wasn't looking, but then you weren't coming back down, so I got worried that maybe she had done something to you and I went to find you." Gray rushes out. Between the two of us we manage to get her situated in one of the sitting chairs and she doesn't even stir.

I feel bile rise in my throat. "Did she follow you up?" Gray nods.

"I noticed her when I reached our floor, but she was wobbling pretty badly and collapsed on the floor." He explains and runs a hand through his hair. He looks haggard.

I have to suppress the urge to hit this girl. Not only did she try to drug Gray, she also followed him around? So much for a relaxing vacation.

"What should we do about her?" I ask. I want her out of here and as far away from Gray as possible.

"Let's just hand her over to security and let them deal with it." He slumps down onto the edge of the bed and puts his face in his hands. I kneel in front of him and grab his hands. "Are you sure you are okay?" He looks so stressed and I can't blame him. I should have stayed with him.

Gray nods and squeezes my hands, smiling weakly. "Let's just get her out of here." He sighs and starts getting up, still holding my hands. I can't help it; I throw my arms around him and squeeze him. "I'm so glad you are okay."

"What's wrong Lucy?" He whispers and I can feel tears welling up in my eyes. He returns my embrace and I feel one of his hands stroking my hair.

"What if something happened to you and I wasn't there?" I'm fighting the tears, but it's pretty clear from my shaky voice that I'm about to cry.

"Let's just be glad nothing did." He says in a soothing voice and I try to pull myself together. We have to deal with this menace of a girl first. I knew she was going to be trouble.

"I think we should both go down. Hopefully the cameras picked up that she was following you, but no way am I putting you in a compromising situation by carrying her in alone." It would be scandalous if someone saw Gray with an unconscious girl in his arms and send all the wrong signals.

He nods gratefully and we manage to prop her up between us as we head downstairs. It takes a while to get to the reception and sure enough people are staring curiously at us, but no one interrupts us. After finding a staff member, we meet with the chief of staff and Gray tells about the encounter.

Apparently, she approached him after I left and spun a grand tale about being a big fan of mine and wanting to become my friend. Gray, who was too nice to tell her off, listened to her sob story and didn't believe a word she said. He also told the staff that she purposely dropped something and put something in his drink while he picked it up for her. It's a miracle that he noticed. Somehow he managed to switch their drinks without her noticing. She must have downed the drugged one before she followed Gray, no doubt to do something shady.

I can already count a number of things we can charge her with if we need to, but the staff assures us that they will handle it. While we are there, someone has found out what room she is staying in and Lila's friend is called to pick her up.

Since we are leaving in two days Gray doesn't want to make a big deal out of it, but I have found my vindictive side and threaten to sue, if that Lila girl gets near us again. We are pretty well-known among the staff at the resort, since they have many big name guests, and I feel no remorse by taking advantage of it. Luckily, the guests here don't seem to recognize us yet, but since Lila found out our names, others might too. My stomach is in knots by the time we leave, and we are promised that she won't come anywhere near us when we're at the resort. I can tell that Gray is shaken too. We deal with all sorts of problems when we are away on jobs, but this is different.

Once we get to our room, we're both in a somber kind of mood. Gray sits on the bead and I sit at our small desk again.

"I can't wait until we are back home," I mutter as I try to read.

"Me too." Gray replies. I'm worried about him. I don't want to be fussy, but it is clear that he is bothered by something.

"Gray, are you sure that you are okay?" I can't help but ask. I hate seeing him look so disturbed.

He looks surprised for a second, but then his expression softens. "Yeah, thanks. It was just a lot."

"Tell me about it." I am so grateful that nothing happened to either of us. If Lila had managed to drug Gray, there was no telling what she would do to him. Kidnap him, blackmail or just hurt him. No, wait a second, what if she was sent by the Creep?

Slow down Lucy. There is a slight chance that she was hired by the Creep, but let's think this through. First time we met her was at the breakfast buffet a couple of days ago, and she didn't recognize any of us. When we were at the pool, she was ogling Gray, not looking at me. And today, she approached me first, but she looked disappointed when I told her we were married. Maybe she really did find my name from the Sorcerer Magazine and she just wanted to sink her claws into Gray. I'll have to make sure she doesn't come near us again.

"Lucy? Don't tell me you are overthinking with that gigantic brain of yours." Gray's voice calls out to me and brings me out of my thoughts. He looks amused and it makes me feel stupid for worrying.

"Sorry, I was just thinking." I say, or more like mumble.

"Well stop thinking and let's go to bed. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow and I want to get going as early as possible." Gray wanders over and starts tugging at me to get up and get ready for the night.

"Alright, _fine._ " I guess he isn't as affected as I feared. At least he's still looking forward to going out tomorrow.

* * *

The next day we are out of the door as soon as the shops and markets open. Miraculously, we both managed to sleep through the night without any problems. I still feel a little skittish as we venture out into the busy streets, but Gray is close by and makes sure not to leave my sight. We find a café to have breakfast in and soon we are on a shopping spree. That's how our last day of vacation is spent. We have been good about not blowing our money away on stupid things, so we have quite a lot to spend.

I also manage to find a belated wedding present for Gray. Since he gave me the cross he normally wore around his neck, I have been thinking I should get him a replacement and I just found the perfect one. It is metallic black with silver accents and rather ornate. I think he'll like it, but I won't give it to him before we are back home in Magnolia.

The rest of the day passes by in a blur and we accumulate a lot of presents to bring back home. At one point we consider buying another bag to fit everything in, but I'm confident we can fit all of our things into our luggage. We'll just have to do some adjusting.

Once we make it back to the resort, we are exhausted. We have been walking all day and carrying loads of shopping bags, and on top of that it has been a pretty hot day. Still, we are both excited to go home tomorrow. It's been nice to have a few days off, but I want to finish moving in and have the team over for dinner. I want to get back to my normal routine.

* * *

 **Alright, vacation is finally over. Now, the Fullbusters can get back to their normal daily routines. (=w=)/**


End file.
